In a notable twist of legal drama, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals intervened late Wednesday, issuing a partial stay on Judge Tanya Chutkan’s recent ruling that had temporarily halted EPA Chief Lee Zeldin from reclaiming billions from what some might call Joe Biden’s “environmental slush fund.”
The panel, comprising judges Pillard (an Obama appointee), Katsas, and Rao (both appointed by Trump), has put a hold on Chutkan’s directive that mandated Citibank to release funds by Thursday—a task now rendered moot by the court’s intervention.
On that same day, Judge Chutkan, who was appointed during the Obama administration, had imposed an injunction barring the EPA from reclaiming money currently held at Citibank, designated for eight different ‘green’ nonprofits.
Previously, Lee Zeldin had successfully retrieved $20 billion in grants from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), with Citibank agreeing to freeze these funds meant for the aforementioned nonprofits.
As detailed by AP, the recipients included organizations such as the Coalition for Green Capital, Climate United Fund, Power Forward Communities, Opportunity Finance Network, Inclusiv, and the Justice Climate Fund.
Judge Chutkan had ordered the unfreezing of the $20 billion by Thursday, directing Citibank to disburse the funds to these eight ‘green’ groups. However, the DC Circuit’s recent stay puts a pause on this order, leaving the matter unresolved for the time being.
Last month, Lee Zeldin communicated to the eight organizations that their grants from Biden’s EPA had been terminated, including $2 billion allocated to a company associated with the unsuccessful Democrat gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
“I am dedicated to ensuring that the EPA becomes an exemplary steward of taxpayer dollars. This is my commitment to President Trump, Congress, and the American people!” stated Zeldin, positioning himself as the guardian of fiscal responsibility.
The termination of these grants came in light of a Project Veritas undercover video that revealed an EPA advisor admitting that the agency had expedited the allocation of billions for climate initiatives just ahead of President Trump’s inauguration.
In a candid moment captured on hidden camera, EPA Advisor Brent Efron disclosed that there was an “insurance policy” in place against Trump’s potential victory.
“We needed to get the funds out as fast as possible before the Trump administration took office… it felt like we were on the Titanic, tossing gold bars overboard,” Efron remarked, painting a vivid picture of the urgency that surrounded the funding decisions.
WATCH:
BREAKING: @EPA Advisor Admits ‘Insurance Policy’ Against Trump is Funneling Billions to Climate Organizations, “We’re Throwing Gold Bars off the Titanic”
“It was an insurance policy against Trump winning.”
“Get the money out as fast as possible before they [Trump… pic.twitter.com/eaAihuNvAh
— Project Veritas (@Project_Veritas) December 3, 2024
