NYC Will Sue Trump Admin Over ‘Anarchist Jurisdiction’ Threat

NEW YORK CITY — Three so-called “anarchist jurisdictions” — New York City, Seattle and Portland — will band together in a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s threat to pull federal funds.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said the lawsuit will be filed Thursday in Seattle. The “anarchist jurisdiction” designation they all share threatens to cut off funding for health care and safety amid the coronavirus pandemic, he said.

“It’s morally wrong, it’s legally unacceptable, it’s unconstitutional,” he said.

President Donald Trump has railed against perceived anarchy in New York City — his hometown — and other “Democrat” cities. Attorney General William Barr in September then issued a memo labeling the cities “anarchist jurisdictions” — a legal first step toward following through on Trump’s vow to cut off their funding.

De Blasio, while dismissing the threat as bluster, himself vowed to take the Trump administration to court if they followed through.

And it appears they recently took “concrete steps” toward stopping the flow of funds, at least according to Jim Johnson, the city’s corporation counsel.

Johnson said recent applications for federal funds included the “anarchist” label — effectively meaning New York, Seattle and Portland need not apply.

“For New York the amounts that are potentially at risk exceed $12 billion,” he said.

The lawsuit will argue that the Trump administration’s actions illegally infringe into Congress’ “power of the purse,” are arbitrary and capricious and, finally, violate the federalism by stepping into a space that is uniquely up to cities to decide, Johnson said.

De Blasio said officials won’t let the rights of New York City be “trampled.”

“We are confident of victory in this case,” he said.