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Trump administration takes $500M US Institute of Peace building for free
Associated Press had an account of this yesterday, making this story way too late for LBN. Not that will stop anyone from trying.
Hat tip, sop
Wed Apr 2, 2025, 11:32 AM: 'Trump Keeps Leaving The Judicial Branch In His Dust'
Federal Fallout
Trump administration takes $500M US Institute of Peace building for free
A DOGE staffer installed as USIP president had the half-billion-dollar property transferred to the government for free
Author: Sophie Rosenthal
Published: 7:38 AM EDT April 2, 2025
Updated: 8:00 AM EDT April 2, 2025
WASHINGTON — A judge said she isn't able to stop the Trump administration from taking a half-a-billion-dollar building owned by a small congressionally-founded nonprofit. ... Created by Congress in 1984, U.S. Institute of Peace is a nonpartisan nonprofit that works to stop violent conflicts abroad and create peace deals.
{snip}
On Monday, the group suing the government filed an emergency motion after seeing in court documents that the newly-installed DOGE leadership had moved to transfer the agency's $500 million headquarters to the General Services Administration. But at the hearing Tuesday, Howell said she wouldn't be able to put a stop to the transfer because it was already done.
It's been done since Saturday. On March 25, DOGE staffer Nate Cavanaugh became the president of USIP, according to court documents. Some time after that, Cavanaugh sent a letter to the GSA's acting administrator asking to transfer the property for free. On Saturday, the Office of Budget and Management approved the transfer.
"The deal is no longer merely 'proposed' but done, rendering plaintiffs' requested relief moot as to that property," Howell wrote in her opinion.
At the hearing, attorneys for the USIP group also raised concern that the building is not the only asset in jeopardy. There is also the agency's over $20 million endowment. But the judge said, like in the previous hearing, the group still hasn't proven that they are fully independent from the executive branch, and therefore she could not put a stop to any further transfers of assets.
Trump administration takes $500M US Institute of Peace building for free
A DOGE staffer installed as USIP president had the half-billion-dollar property transferred to the government for free
Author: Sophie Rosenthal
Published: 7:38 AM EDT April 2, 2025
Updated: 8:00 AM EDT April 2, 2025
WASHINGTON — A judge said she isn't able to stop the Trump administration from taking a half-a-billion-dollar building owned by a small congressionally-founded nonprofit. ... Created by Congress in 1984, U.S. Institute of Peace is a nonpartisan nonprofit that works to stop violent conflicts abroad and create peace deals.
{snip}
On Monday, the group suing the government filed an emergency motion after seeing in court documents that the newly-installed DOGE leadership had moved to transfer the agency's $500 million headquarters to the General Services Administration. But at the hearing Tuesday, Howell said she wouldn't be able to put a stop to the transfer because it was already done.
It's been done since Saturday. On March 25, DOGE staffer Nate Cavanaugh became the president of USIP, according to court documents. Some time after that, Cavanaugh sent a letter to the GSA's acting administrator asking to transfer the property for free. On Saturday, the Office of Budget and Management approved the transfer.
"The deal is no longer merely 'proposed' but done, rendering plaintiffs' requested relief moot as to that property," Howell wrote in her opinion.
At the hearing, attorneys for the USIP group also raised concern that the building is not the only asset in jeopardy. There is also the agency's over $20 million endowment. But the judge said, like in the previous hearing, the group still hasn't proven that they are fully independent from the executive branch, and therefore she could not put a stop to any further transfers of assets.
Politics
Institute of Peace headquarters transfer is a done deal even as lawsuit continues to unfold
By GARY FIELDS
Updated 5:19 PM EDT, April 1, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — A hearing Tuesday on the fate of the Institute of Peace ended without a legal decision, but presented a deep look into how the Trump administration is remaking the federal government. ... Multiple times in a Tuesday hearing, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell equated the strategy to “a bull in a China shop” that is moving quickly and leaving destruction in its wake.
Howell’s comments came during a status hearing ordered after plaintiffs in a lawsuit asked for relief after learning that plans were being made to transfer the institute’s headquarters and assets to the General Services Administration. ... The government’s response to the plaintiffs request indicated the transfer was further along than anyone knew. ... “My question is, is this a done deal as of Saturday,” Howell asked. This seems like a big transfer of assets, “all in two days.”
{snip}
Andrew Goldfarb, attorney for the original plaintiffs, said they had only learned how far along the transfer was in a government court filing seeking the status hearing to stop what was believed to be a coming attempt to transfer the property.
In court, the Trump administration’s attorney, Brian Hudak, laid out the timeline, making clear that the newly-named president of USIP had not only been authorized to transfer the property, but the request had gone through proper channels and was completed by March 29. Hudak added that he believed plans were already underway to lease the building and the equipment inside, to the Labor Department. ... That came the day after much of the 300-member staff was fired via email and left in turmoil over the weekend. Employees posted overseas have until April 9 to return to the U.S. The terminated employees have until April 7 to gather their belongings. ... In explaining the speed, Hudak said that it was “easy” for the executive branch to make transfers within the executive branch. He said he was not sure about the status of USIP’s endowment, which includes millions of dollars of donated funds. He thought that money had been left with the institute.
{snip}
Institute of Peace headquarters transfer is a done deal even as lawsuit continues to unfold
By GARY FIELDS
Updated 5:19 PM EDT, April 1, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — A hearing Tuesday on the fate of the Institute of Peace ended without a legal decision, but presented a deep look into how the Trump administration is remaking the federal government. ... Multiple times in a Tuesday hearing, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell equated the strategy to “a bull in a China shop” that is moving quickly and leaving destruction in its wake.
Howell’s comments came during a status hearing ordered after plaintiffs in a lawsuit asked for relief after learning that plans were being made to transfer the institute’s headquarters and assets to the General Services Administration. ... The government’s response to the plaintiffs request indicated the transfer was further along than anyone knew. ... “My question is, is this a done deal as of Saturday,” Howell asked. This seems like a big transfer of assets, “all in two days.”
{snip}
Andrew Goldfarb, attorney for the original plaintiffs, said they had only learned how far along the transfer was in a government court filing seeking the status hearing to stop what was believed to be a coming attempt to transfer the property.
In court, the Trump administration’s attorney, Brian Hudak, laid out the timeline, making clear that the newly-named president of USIP had not only been authorized to transfer the property, but the request had gone through proper channels and was completed by March 29. Hudak added that he believed plans were already underway to lease the building and the equipment inside, to the Labor Department. ... That came the day after much of the 300-member staff was fired via email and left in turmoil over the weekend. Employees posted overseas have until April 9 to return to the U.S. The terminated employees have until April 7 to gather their belongings. ... In explaining the speed, Hudak said that it was “easy” for the executive branch to make transfers within the executive branch. He said he was not sure about the status of USIP’s endowment, which includes millions of dollars of donated funds. He thought that money had been left with the institute.
{snip}
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