By A liberal district judge in Rhode Island has ruled that the Trump administration is openly defying his court and ordering the president to lift his freeze on federal spending.
On Monday, John J. McConnell, Jr. reaffirmed that the White House had failed to comply with his January 29 order mandating the release of billions in federal grants, including funds earmarked for Medicaid, school lunches, and housing subsidies. His ruling was unequivocal: “The plain text” of his earlier decision required immediate compliance, and the administration’s continued inaction violated the court’s mandate. Despite this, the White House has resisted, appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit while signaling that it views judicial interference as an overreach.
White House spokesman Harrison Fields insisted that the administration’s actions were lawful, dismissing legal challenges as attempts to “undermine the will of the American people.” Meanwhile, Vice President J.D. Vance echoed this defiance, asserting that judges should not “control the executive’s legitimate power.”
There’s a reason why the judge at the center of the dispute, McConnell, has come across as a rank partisan throughout his time on the bench. He is one. McConnell appeared to receive his position from Barack Obama because he was a major donor to the Democrats, according to a report by Politico in 2010.
McConnell’s judicial appointment in 2011 was met with fierce opposition from Senate Republicans, who scrutinized his history of throwing money around. Between 1993 and his confirmation, McConnell and his wife contributed nearly $700,000 to Democratic campaigns and committees, including substantial donations to the two Rhode Island senators—Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse—who recommended him for the bench. His contributions far exceeded those of other judicial nominees, leading critics to question whether his judicial role was influenced by partisan loyalty.
“This gentleman is one of the largest fundraisers to the Democratic cause,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) during McConnell’s confirmation battle. “I think there well could be the appearance [of] a conflict of interest there.”
Despite objections, McConnell was confirmed by a 13-6 vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) as the only Republican to support his nomination. The American Bar Association had issued a mixed rating for McConnell, with a substantial majority deeming him “qualified” but a minority labeling him “not qualified.”
Republicans have long accused McConnell of leveraging his legal career for partisan advantage. Before joining the bench, he worked as a plaintiffs’ attorney securing large verdicts in asbestos, tobacco, and lead paint cases, representing Rhode Island in lawsuits against corporate defendants. His firm, Motley Rice LLC, received significant payouts from these cases, which critics argue were later funneled into Democratic political donations.
That is absolutely insane and irregular.
Basically Democrats put a major donor on the bench as reward for his major donations. https://t.co/W9e12SOTQA
— Sunny (@sunnyright) February 11, 2025
The legal standoff has intensified broader concerns about the administration’s handling of executive authority and the power of small-time federal district judges issuing national rulings. More than 40 lawsuits have already challenged recent policies, including attempts to revoke birthright citizenship and grant Elon Musk’s teams access to sensitive Treasury Department systems.
Monday’s ruling marked a rare instance of a judge explicitly accusing the executive branch of disregarding a court order, a move that could result in fines or even contempt proceedings against senior officials.
Daniel Schwei, an attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice representing the Trump administration in the lawsuit, has petitioned the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals for an immediate administrative stay on McConnell’s restraining order. If granted, the stay would temporarily block McConnell from enforcing a ban on federal agencies.
[Read More: FBI Recovers More Information On JFK Murder]
