See our right-hand column for announcements and news briefs. Scroll down the right-hand column to access the Archives -- links to articles posted in the main column since 2007. See details about our site, including a way to comment, in the yellow text above the Archives.

Friday, February 14, 2025

Letter: Local government officials hear views against anti-democratic government coup

[Editor's Note: This week Sarah Green, a resident of Calumet, Mich., addressed both the Houghton City Council (Feb. 12) and the Houghton County Board of Commissioners (Feb. 11) during public comment periods at their meetings. Green expressed her views, shared by many Copper Country residents, concerning the anti-democratic government coup by the Trump Administration. Green has given Keweenaw Now permission to present here, as a letter to the editor, the points she presented to these local government leaders.]

Houghton City Council
Sarah Green, Calumet Township
2025-02-12

Thank you for your attention and for your efforts to improve lives of Houghton citizens. Although I live in Calumet, I benefit from numerous amenities in the city and have appreciated all the improvements of the past 30 years.

I have spoken to many groups about climate change, environmental topics, and other issues. I’m here today to address a threat to our democratic institutions.

Article 1 of the US constitution is about congress: "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."

According to the constitution:
• Congress is given the power to pass laws and enact the budget.
• The President is commander in chief and has certain international roles, but his main responsibility is to "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed" (Article II).
• The Judicial branch can enforce the laws and overturn laws that are unconstitutional.

This balance of powers is under attack.

1. The president is claiming the power to overturn the wishes of congress by freezing funds that have already been approved. The funding freeze aimed to block thousands of programs across the country from Meal-on-Wheels to Cancer Research. Billions of dollars in federal funding flows to counties and townships, often through state programs, including Community block grants, infrastructure programs, student loans, school lunch programs, and health insurance. Here in Houghton, $82M of federal funding supported research at Michigan Tech last year.

These are your taxes that congress is sending back to support citizens and programs for their benefit. The president does not have the right to block it.

A judge agreed, and has since ordered that the freeze be lifted and then held the administration in contempt when money continued to be blocked.

2. A private citizen and his unvetted associates have gained access to personnel records of federal employees, and to the Treasury, which houses your social security data, tax information, and personal data on every person who has conducted business with the federal government.

There is no provision under any of the three branches for a private businessman to have access to the nation’s checkbook. And Elon Musk not only has billions of dollars in contracts with the government through his various companies, but also has undisclosed relationships with Russia, China, and other U.S. adversaries.

Security experts have raised the alarm about this breach of the firewall that protects the personal information of millions of citizens. 

Again, a judge has moved to block this access. However, we don’t know how much of your data was taken before the order.

Inset photo: Sarah Green. (Photo courtesy Michigan Tech University and Sarah Green)

Poster courtesy Sarah Green. (Click on poster for larger version.)

Sarah Green, Calumet Township
Remarks to Houghton County Commissioners’ meeting, 2025-02-11

1. Thanks for listening; I don’t often attend these meetings, but I truly appreciate the efforts you make in improving the lives of Houghton County citizens.

2. I support childcare and small businesses; both are essential for our community. I therefore approve of the county moving ahead with the Gabby’s Guppies application.

3. As I’m sure you are aware, the Community Revolving Loan Fund (CRLF) for the Gabby’s Guppies comes from the federal HUD Community Block Grant Program, funded by our federal taxes. 

4. You may also know that the Community Block Grant Program had its funds frozen last week after an illegal incursion of the US Treasury by a private citizen and his unvetted associates. A judge has since ordered that the freeze be lifted (and held them in contempt today when it wasn’t).

5. Many other programs that your constituents depend on are threatened by these illegal actions: social security, housing assistance, medicare, veterans’ programs, mental health support.

6. Elon Musk is further threatening the more than 9000 federal workers employed in MI-01 (1st congressional district). These employees make up 2.6 percent of the workforce.* About 40 percent of them work for the VA; about 30 percent are veterans themselves. These are your friends and neighbors who may be abruptly fired next week.

Poster courtesy Sarah Green. (Click on poster for larger version.)

7. Do you have a plan to support Gabby’s Guppies and the rest of your constituents if this federal government take-over succeeds?

8. Can we count on you to tell officials in Washington how important federal jobs and funding are to Houghton County?

* Congressional Research Service, https:crsreports.congress.gov, R47716 

Editor's addendum: Sarah Green also reported that several supportive local residents attended the Feb. 11 Houghton County Commissioners' meeting, including Frank Fiala, local business owner and former federal employee. "Frank Fiala gave an outstanding statement from his position as a long-time federal employee and local business owner, and imploring our elected officials to put aside partisanship and respect the rule of law," Green wrote in her email report on the meeting. "The commissioners don’t respond to public comments, but at least some of them were listening," she added.

In her report on the Feb. 12 Houghton City Council meeting, Green wrote, "The response was better than I expected. One person stated that he works for the federal government and things are much worse than is being reported in the news. People who have moved for new federal jobs and bought houses have been abruptly fired already. Craig Waddell proposed discussing a resolution about this topic at the next board meeting. A resolution could be addressed to our U.S. representative and senators. So, that will be on the agenda on Feb 26th! Please come and support it this."

You are encouraged to call Michigan 1st District Congressman Jack Bergman to express your views. He may be somewhere in the District Feb. 18-21 (scheduled as district work periods) or you can call him at (202) 225-4735. You will speak to an intern, who can record your position on any issue you want to raise.

Sarah Green plans to attend the following meetings next week:
 
Hancock City Council: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb 19. City of Hancock Council meets the third Wednesday of the month. All Council Meetings are held in the Hancock City Hall Council Chambers. Meeting begins at 6 p.m.
 
Calumet Township: 1 p.m. Friday, Feb 28. The Charter Township of Calumet board meetings are held on the last Friday of each month starting at 1 p.m.

If you wish to join Sarah Green's email list of concerned residents or request copies of the above posters, you may email her at sarah@inlandsea.net

Sarah Green is Professor Emerita in Chemistry at Michigan Technological University. Dr. Green's interests include all aspects of environmental chemistry from molecular analytical methods to global climate change, including the science policy interface. Dr. Green served as co-vice chair for the Scientific Advisory Panel on the Sixth Global Environmental Outlook (GEO-6), United Nations Environment Programme. Her research interests include, among others, Climate Change Communication, Youth Engagement in Climate Policy and the Great Lakes.

Thursday, February 13, 2025

AG Nessel secures preliminary injunction against executive order attempting to limit birthright citizenship

From: Office of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel 

LANSING -- Today, Feb. 13, 2025, Judge Leo T. Sorokin in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ordered a preliminary injunction enjoining the Trump administration from implementing and enforcing the President’s executive order that attempted to limit birthright citizenship, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. (Inset photo: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Photo courtesy michigan.gov)

The preliminary injunction, effective immediately and nationwide, is specific relief sought by Attorney General Nessel and 17 states, plus Washington D.C. and the City of San Francisco, in their lawsuit filed January 21, 2025, to stop the President’s unlawful action, which violates the Constitution and would harm hundreds of thousands of American children. Since January 23, the administration has been enjoined from implementing the executive order by injunctive relief granted in separate litigation. 

Attorney General Nessel issued the following statement:

"I’m grateful to secure this essential relief from enforcement of the plainly unconstitutional executive order that aims to trample the promise of citizenship to children born in our country. This injunction will protect the constitutional rights of thousands of babies born in Michigan and across the nation while we work with our coalition to demonstrate in federal court how this executive order violates the law as plainly as it violates our American values. My commitment and oath of office require this defense of the Constitution’s Citizenship Clause, as it has been faithfully defended for 150 years."

Monday, February 10, 2025

Federal Judge orders Trump Administration to halt public health research funding cuts following lawsuit by 22 attorneys general

From: Office of  Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. (Photo courtesy michigan.gov)

LANSING --  Federal Judge Angel Kelley of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s request for a Temporary Restraining Order after a coalition of 22 attorneys general filed a challenge to the Trump Administration's proposed funding cuts for grants awarded by the National Institute of Health. The order bars the Trump administration from taking any steps to implement, apply or enforce funding cuts for grants issued to universities and other institutions within the plaintiff states until a further order is issued by the Court. Attorney General Nessel issued the following statement in response:

"We are pleased that the Judge has issued this temporary restraining order so quickly after our filing. The proposed cuts were massive and injurious both to our state’s public health and economy. I look forward to continuing this case in court and holding this administration to account when their actions violate the law and harm Michigan residents."

Today, February 10, 2025, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel co-led 22 other attorneys general in suing the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for unlawfully cutting funds that support cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country.

Why these cuts would be injurious to the public

The coalition is challenging the Trump Administration’s attempt to unilaterally cut "indirect cost" reimbursements at every research institution throughout the country. These reimbursements cover expenses to facilitate biomedical research -- like lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. Without them, the lifesaving and life-changing medical research in which the United States has long been a leader could be compromised.  

Indirect cost reimbursements are based on each institution’s unique needs, negotiated with the federal government through a carefully regulated process, and then memorialized in an executed agreement. The Trump Administration purports to toss those agreements aside, putting public health and medical advancements at risk. The coalition’s lawsuit seeks to prevent that reckless and illegal conduct.      

"This funding supports life saving research," said Nessel. "These dangerous proposed cuts are indiscriminate and without purpose. They will cost jobs here in Michigan and will hamper tens of thousands of research projects -- many of which are currently underway and focus on improving health outcomes and preventing death. I’m proud to lead this effort to restore this essential funding."

Last Friday, February 7, the NIH announced it would abruptly slash indirect cost rates to an across-the-board 15 percent rate, which is significantly less than the cost required to perform cutting edge medical research. The NIH purported to make this cut effective the very next business day, Monday, February 10, giving universities and institutions no time to plan for the enormous budget gaps they are now facing. Without immediate relief, this action could result in the suspension of lifesaving and life-extending clinical trials, disruption of research programs, layoffs, and laboratory closures.

The coalition argues that this action violates the Administrative Procedure Act, including a directive Congress passed during President Trump’s first term to fend off his earlier proposal to drastically cut research reimbursements. That statutory language, still in effect, prohibits the NIH from requiring categorial and indiscriminate changes to indirect cost reimbursements. The coalition is seeking a court order barring the Trump Administration and NIH from implementing the action.

The NIH is the primary source of federal funding for medical research in the United States. Medical research funding by NIH grants have led to innumerable scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of treatment for cancers of all types, the first sequencing of DNA and the development of the MRI. Additionally, dozens of NIH-supported scientists have earned Nobel Prizes for their groundbreaking scientific work.

Most NIH-funding research occurs outside of federal government institutions such as both public and private universities and colleges. In Michigan, this includes over $200 million in funding cuts that support research projects at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University.

This lawsuit is being co-led by the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Illinois, and Michigan. Joining this coalition are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

The lawsuit was filed today, Feb. 10, in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts and can be found here (PDF).