X Source: "DOGE has struck a killing blow to the heart of the Democrat deep state machine"

X ^ | Feb 3 | @Anc_Aesthetics

[The Duke]

If there’s $100 billion in missing Ukraine aid, then I’m thinking that USAID is just the tip of a much larger iceberg.

[Robert357]

Yes, very interesting; especially now that USAID is under the State Department.

Next a “real audit” of past expenditures needs to take place to see if any money has been illegally spent. Based on the post I am sure lots has. Then the federal government should both prosecute those who spent the money and claw back as much money from false NGO’s as possible. If nothing else, have the IRS declare those that have been the beneficiaries if illegal money no longer tax exempt organizations.

If Democrats freaked out over USAID, wait till they see what is going to happen at the Department of Education. The battle for the teacher union political donations and the political indoctrination of future generations will cause widespread despair among Democrats.

[Political Junkie Too]

I read this somewhere (I wish I had written it down). JFK created USAID by an Executive Order in November 1961.

Executive Order 10973—Administration of Foreign Assistance and Related Functions (November 03, 1961)

It can be dissolved by an Executive Order signed by Donald Trump.

This is where it gets tricky.

Congress passed a law to reorganize the functions of USAID under the Secretary of State. See 22 USC Ch. 74: FOREIGN AFFAIRS AGENCIES CONSOLIDATION

Defenders of USAID will point to §6563. Status of AID in the above link for the line "...there is within the Executive branch of Government the United States Agency for International Development as an entity described in section 104 of title 5." They will argue that this "creates" USAID in the law passed by Congress despite the fact that it was already created via JFK's earlier EO, and that having done so only Congress can authorizes its dismantling.

-PJ

[mbrfl]

USAID makes George Soros look like a piker. In fact, Mike Benz just posted a video where he goes over financial documents showing that USAID gave twice as much as Soros did to FJP (Fair and Just Prosecution, a nonprofit that supports and influences progressive prosecutors in the U.S.).

https://x.com/MikeBenzCyber/status/1886133990341431711

[GOPJ]

Another text “Based on the reactions from within the party it seems to me that dismantling USAID is Trump’s biggest political victory to date...

Trump's only been President two weeks... more to come.

[GOPJ]

Then the federal government should both prosecute those who spent the money and claw back as much money from false NGO’s as possible.

Is it true there's NOT ONE NGO supporting a conservative cause in the country? And never has been? And the biggest slush - wrapped around 'intelligence'?

[Cobra64]

I hope Elon had all the systems passwords changed.

[Rocco DiPippo]

This is great! I love the desperation moves of panicking leftist/globalist/RINO filth. Much more of this to come in the coming days. I can’t wait until Patel’s heading the FIB!

[joshua c]

i love that the dems are out there defending usaid

cuz i think there is more to come about the corruption at usaid

they have a scif

which obviously was used to hide the corruption

[Trump_Triumphant]

The greatest President since George Washington.

[cherry]

I am sure our tax dollars feed the rich....some of these baseball and football stadiums are half filled yet they can give some chump millions of dollars.

[cherry]

Pe4haps normal people can take back the states of Oregone and Washington if they loose their slush fund.

[Old West Conservative]

Trump at #4 is pretty good!

[ronnie raygun]

funding gone, wonderful

[Liz]

FTA——DOGE has struck a killing blow to the heart of the Democrat machine.
<><>This is worse than 9/11 for Democrats.
<><>USAID is the primary vessel they use to achieve their political agenda.
<><>USAID is and always has been the primary source of funding for their influence peddling schemes
<><>and for their indirect sources of income.
<><>dismantling USAID is Trump’s biggest political victory to date.
<><>USAID was his enemy’s golden goose.

........initial plans by the Democrats was to have USAID hide the partisan funding under the rubric of “unimpeachable initiatives,” to push back on certain line items that on their face look like “reasonable USAID expenditures”...........

[AmericanMermaid]

The sooner the better, too.

[Rockingham]

The eventual response from the courts will be that the issue is between the Executive and Congress and is nonjusticiable in the absence of clear and definitive guidance from Congress in the form of legislation that has passed both Houses. Here's why.

Most federal discretionary spending is in the form of broad budget categories, with the executive agencies expected to follow the details as stated in implementing legislation and budget papers transmitted by the committees that supervise the spending. Constitutionally, the implementing legislation is binding but the budget papers are not.

Traditionally, the budget papers got followed anyway because federal agencies and presidents did not want to endanger immense flows of spending because of chunks of cash that stick to the fingers of Congressmen. The budget papers are kept secret from the public so that the reason for wasteful and abusive spending is kept secret as coming from Congress in general and from specific members.

In that way, for example, a dodgy multimillion dollar indigent health care grant to a hospital that has the Congressman's wife on the payroll never gets connected to the Congressman. So also does the cash for a road project to benefit his brother never gets disclosed as coming from the Congressman via the budget papers. And so on, to a total of many billions of dollars of spending every year.

USAID is especially useful in this regard because the money characteristically passes through several levels that obscure the origin as federal funds. Moreover, much of the essential paperwork is held overseas, often in private hands. Be assured though, lots of dodgy cash goes through USAID and eventually to members of Congress and their donors, friends, and relatives.

Now, with Trump and Musk, the old secrecy about spending is over. Anyone complaining in court that they have violated the law will have to provide the details of what law. Secret budget papers never voted on by Congress and passed though both Houses are not binding. To even argue that they are binding will require that the papers be put into evidence. If not, the courts cannot enter an enforceable decree, so the issue is fundamental.

Moreover, once legally binding spending is satisfied, courts are not going to require that the Trump administration spend money left over. As a matter of constitutional principle, no money is supposed to be spent unless it is pursuant to appropriation. Since the valid Congressional spending mandate has been met, there is no basis on which to spend any extra money that is left over.

I bet though that Trump will find a legal way to reallocate unspent federal funds to purposes like building the border wall and immigration enforcement. The lack of whining from GOP House and Senate members suggests that they know the game and are privately pleased at what is happening to USAID and other corrupt avenues for spending. After all, with Biden in office, most of the GOP in Congress was cut off from their share of the loot several years ago.

[Qiviut]

“Elon Musk nor Trump have the authority to decide to defund USAID. Period. No debate.”

*******************

Wrongo. USAID was created with an EO by President Kennedy. With the stroke of his Sharpie, Trump can revoke that EO & bye bye USAID.

The legit ‘charitable’ function(s) will be administered via the State Department where there will be oversight to assure funds distributed line up with Trump/MAGA foreign policies. I am doubtful that USAID employees will be retained because they would be a constant source of resistance/subversion.

[vivenne]

I think he also shut out their vomputer access so even if the are remote they can’t do anything.

[Ann Archy]

UNBELIEVABLE!!