News

Trump cancels $1 billion funding for California high-speed rail project and Gov. Newsom gets triggered

May 17, 2019 | | Print Article
gavin newsom trump laughing
California’s Democratic governor Gavin Newsom — who has been a thorn in President Trump’s side on illegal immigration — is furious that Trump pulled back $1 billion in funding earmarked for the state’s failed high-speed railway project. (screenshots)

The Trump administration canceled nearly $1 billion in federal funding that was earmarked for California’s high-speed rail project.

The decision comes months after California’s Democratic Governor, Gavin Newsom, admitted that the project was a failure and could not be completed as initially envisioned.

California ‘failed to make reasonable progress’

In a statement, the Federal Railroad Administration said it will not give California the $928,620,000 that it was originally promised, saying the state:

  • Failed to make reasonable progress on the project.
  • Repeatedly failed to comply with the terms of its grant.
  • Abandoned its original vision for a high-speed train connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco.

Federal govt to Calif: We want the $2.5 billion we gave you back

The Trump administration also said it wants back the $2.5 billion in funds that were previously allocated to California for the project.

Calif. governor admitted the rail project was a failure

In February 2019, Governor Newsom admitted that “the current project, as planned, would cost too much and take too long…There’s been too little oversight and not enough transparency.”

Instead, he proposed using the money to build a high-speed train between two smaller cities (Bakersfield and Merced). That was not the original plan, nor the reason why the $1 billion in federal funds were allocated to California.

The initial plan called for a 520-mile high-speed rail system from Los Angeles to San Francisco that would have allowed trains to travel up to 220 miles per hour. The train system was supposed to be fully operational by 2033.

But it was clear to Governor Newsom and President Trump that that would never happen.

Democratic governor calls revocation of federal funds ‘illegal’

After the Federal Railroad Administration pulled the money yesterday (May 16), Newsom fired back at Trump, calling the move “illegal and a direct assault on California.” (No, it’s not.)

Calif. attorney: Trump has the right to demand money back

In February 2019 — shortly after Newsom confessed that his rail project was a failure — California trial attorney Harmeet Dhillon said President Trump is within his legal rights to demand the money back.

“Grants given by the government are always given with certain strings attached and conditions. The governor of California announced that the project that the money was given for is no longer going to be built as such,” Dhillon told Fox Business. “In fact, President Trump is within his rights to try to claw back the $2.5 billion that has [already] been given for this project.”

Dhillon continued: “The federal government gave California money to build a specific project that is no longer being built. Simply put: That’s the people’s money. And it belongs back in Washington for use for other purposes that are actually going to be build.”

Source: Fox Business

Many on Twitter applauded the Trump administration’s move to end the $1 billion California boondoggle.

Calif. champions illegal aliens over law-abiding Americans

California Governor Newsom and President Trump have been at odds for months. California — which declared itself a “sanctuary state” for illegal immigrants  has repeatedly sued the Trump administration over its immigration policies.

As BizPac Review reported, California joined several other states in a lawsuit challenging President Trump’s authority to declare a national emergency in order to build a wall in light of the illegal-immigration crisis at the US-Mexico border.

https://twitter.com/samantha_chang/status/1129404683662123010

Democrats and their media lackeys screeched nonstop about Trump “abusing his authority” to declare a national emergency to address a crisis that threatens US sovereignty and national security.

Reality check: All US presidents in the modern era have declared national emergencies at some point in their tenures. In fact, the United States is currently in the middle of 31 national emergencies ― 12 of which were declared  by Barack Obama.

California Gov. Newsom ignites backlash for closing beaches as ‘collective punishment’

DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW

Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!

$10
$15
$25
$50
Other
$
Success! Thank you for donating. Please share BPR content to help combat the lies.
Samantha Chang
Latest posts by Samantha Chang (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

PLEASE JOIN OUR NEW COMMENT SYSTEM! We love hearing from our readers and invite you to join us for feedback and great conversation. If you've commented with us before, we'll need you to re-input your email address for this. The public will not see it and we do not share it.

Latest Articles