A Ninth Circuit panel grilled a Trump administration lawyer Friday on his argument that the government can cut hundreds of millions of dollars in University of California research grant funds that don’t align with the administration’s priorities.
Judge Richard Paez appeared to openly disagree with attorney Jacob Roth’s argument the initial decision to fund a program is not distinct from a viewpoint-based termination of a grant later on because of a perceived nexus to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“Why isn’t that a penalty?” Paez said of the funding cuts. “The government’s trying to suppress, penalize speech.”
The government can ...