Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) blasted President Donald Trump's attempt to "seize power" and behave as a "king" by freezing federal grants while his administration conducts an across-the-board ideological review of programs.
In a statement, Matthew Vaeth, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, explained the stoppage of federal money.
"The use of Federal resources to advance Marxist equity, transgenderism, and green new deal social engineering policies is a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve," he said.
Murphy condemned the move at a press conference on Tuesday.
"So, this is an attempt by Donald Trump to seize power," he explained, pointing to Trump's "broad immunization of political violence, the illegal firing of inspectors general there to make sure that their money, that the money of the taxpayers isn't stolen, and today the illegal and unconstitutional decision to put the President of the United States and no one else in charge of who gets federal money and who doesn't."
"This is what a king does," Murphy insisted. "This is not how a democracy works. One man does not decide how taxpayers' money is spent so that it only gets sent to the President's political friends and it gets used to punish his political enemies."
The senator predicted "enormous" damage as the result of Trump's actions.
"To poor kids who rely on Head Start programs, to families who desperately need that cancer research done, to veterans who, if they miss one or two appointments, their life falls apart suddenly overnight," he argued.
"The President wants you to be distracted by the day-to-day announcements, but put together the pardoning of the violent rioters, the firing of the inspectors general, and today, the stoppage of federal funding, leaving the decision only to the political whims of President Trump, represents the gravest, most serious constitutional crisis of our lifetime, one that threatens to undermine the very premise of American democracy."
Women's football star 'violates rival's intimacy' with sick gesture and vile comment during on-pitch scuffle
SICK GESTURE
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A SPANISH woman footballer is at the centre of a storm after touching a rival’s private parts and appearing to say ‘Have you got a ‘d**k?’ during a brief pitch bust-up.
TV cameras clearly picked up the moment Barcelona defender Mapi Leon deliberately touched Espanyol footballer Daniela Caracas’ genitals as the alleged sex assault victim prepared to defend a corner during a fiercely-contested derby match yesterday.
Barcelona’s Mapi Leon clashed with Daniela CaracasLiga F via X formerly TwitterShe appeared to reach and touch Caracas below the beltlineLiga F via X formerly TwitterRexEspanyol have slammed the Barcelona star[/caption]
Spanish media and social media amateur lip readers reported the slur 29-year-old Leon, capped more than 50 times by her national team, fired off at Colombian-born Caracas during a brief push-and-shove struggle before and after the extraordinary crotch grab seemed to be ‘Tienes picha?
The offensive expression would translate into English as ‘Have you got a d**k?’
Barcelona’s city rivals Espanyol today released an official statement criticising Mapi Leon’s actions and vowing to support Daniela if she decided to press charges.
The Catalan club said in a statement, calling Mapi Leon by her full name Maria Pilar Leon: “We would like to express our total discontent and condemnation of the events that took place yesterday during the derby match between RCD Espanyol and Barcelona FC at the Dani Jarque stadium.
“It is an action that we consider unacceptable and that should not go unnoticed.
“During the match, the FC Barcelona player María Pilar Leon, in the middle of a struggle with our player, Daniela Caracas, made a gesture that violated the player’s intimacy.
“At the time Daniela was unable to react because of the impact caused by the situation.
“Later on when she assimilated what happened she became aware of the seriousness of the gesture, but chose not to react angrily to avoid a disciplinary sanction and harm the team.
“In addition to what happened on the pitch, there has been a regrettable reaction on social media, where our player has been the target of insults from hundreds of profiles.
“We are concerned that, instead of focusing on the act itself, part of the media attention has been diverted to other issues unrelated to its seriousness.
Football teams that controversially changed their badge
Football teams that controversially changed their badge
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“RCD Espanyol defends our player and condemns any act that threatens the integrity of the players on the pitch.
“We firmly believe in respect and sportsmanship as fundamental values in football and we hope that this type of situation will be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
“Furthermore, we have made the club’s legal services available to our player should she wish to take legal action.
“Likewise, as RCD Espanyol has done on previous occasions, we wish to express our rejection of any form of violence, whether physical or verbal in the world of football.
“Sport should be a place of respect and coexistence, and we condemn any attitude that encourages hatred or aggression on and off the pitch.”
Barcelona and the player at the centre of the controversy have not yet offered any official reaction.
Espanyol lost 2-0 to the league leaders, with a 73rd-minute goal from Graham Hansen and another three minutes later by Salma Paralluelo.
Mapi Leon was one of the footballers who said she didn’t want to play for her country again unless there were structural changes in the Spanish FA following the scandal unleashed by the kiss Luis Rubiales gave Jenni Hermoso after the 2023 women’s World Cup and his initial refusal to resign.
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