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Who wants to see Musk in handcuffs? Judge considering criminal contempt for those who violate orders [1]

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Date: 2025-02-10

A chief federal judge threatened criminal contempt of anyone who defies his order to unfreeze all federal funding saying "The Defendants must resume the funding of institutes and other agencies of the Defendants (for example the National Institute for Health) that are included in the scope of the Court’s TRO."

Here's a link to the order: https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/16112316018.pdf From the judge's 2/10/25 order... "All orders and judgments of courts must be complied with promptly. * * * Persons who make private determinations of the law and refuse to obey an order generally risk criminal contempt even if the order is ultimately ruled incorrect. The orderly and expeditious administration of justice by the courts requires that an order issued by a court with jurisdiction over the subject matter."

Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha, one of six co-leads in the lawsuit, called McConnell’s ruling “swift and unsurprising.”

“Judge McConnell’s Order confirmed what we have been saying from the beginning,” Neronha said in a statement Monday. “It is now time for the Administration to come into full compliance. This is a country of laws. We expect the Administration to follow the law. Our Office and attorneys general across the country stand ready to keep careful watch on the actions of this Administration that follow, and we will not hesitate to go back to Court if they don’t comply.”

Judge McConnell further said: “The broad categorical and sweeping freeze of federal funds is, as the Court found, likely unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country,” McConnell wrote. “These pauses in funding violate the plain text of the TRO.”

Hours later Trump administration appeals after federal judge reinforces order to block funding freeze

Updated 11:04 pm EST — “Even a fixed sentence of confinement imposed as punishment will also coerce subsequent compliance with present, as well as future court orders.”

“ Basically, the court opined that civil contempt is appropriate for coercing future compliance with a previously violated mandatory court order , while criminal contempt is appropriate for punishing a past violation of a prohibitory court order” — Excerpts from an article explaining difference between civil and criminal Court. Link here to article

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/2/10/2302893/-Who-wants-to-see-Musk-in-handcuffs-Judge-considering-criminal-contempt-for-whose-violate-orders?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=trending&pm_medium=web

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