A reclusive billionaire, anti-tax crusader and major financial backer of Donald Trump has been named as the anonymous private donor who gave $130m to the government to help pay US troops during the federal shutdown that is now in its fourth week, according to the New York Times.
The donation, which equates to about $100 per service member, appears to be a potential violation of the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal agencies from spending funds in advance or in excess of congressional appropriations – and from accepting voluntary services “except in the case of emergency involving the safety of human life or the protection of property”.
Potential penalties for violations include both administrative and criminal sanctions such as suspension or removal from duty, fines and imprisonment.
If we’d had this calibur of journalism about a century ago they would have said the Hindenburg appeared to be experiencing a potential flight delay, I swear
I mean, this is the sound of a journalist screaming internally “SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING”, but the time to start screaming externally was a while ago
SLAPP protection.