A judge who blocked President Trump’s federal spending freeze is Chairman Emeritus of a nonprofit that will continue to receive millions in government funding as a result of his ruling, in an apparent conflict of interest seen as a second cause for the judge’s impeachment.
On Wednesday, Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) announced articles of impeachment against federal Judge John McConnell on the grounds that he overreached his authority and engaged in partisan activism by blocking Trump’s executive order freezing federal funding while Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) searches for wasteful spending.
“Impeach this pseudo-jurist!!,” Musk responded to Rep. Clyde’s post.
Then, on Sunday, America First Legal Foundation (AFL) reported that Judge McConnell appears to have had a conflict of interest, which he did not disclose, when he ruled on the lawsuit petitioning him to block the spending freeze.
AFL revealed its findings in a thread of posts on Musk’s X.com social media platform:
- “Judge McConnell has appeared as a Director on Crossroads’ IRS Form 990 every year since he took the federal bench in 2013.”
- “Judge McConnell appears to be currently serving on the Board of Directors for the non-profit NGO Crossroads Rhode Island.”
- McConnell was previously the Chair of the Board and is currently listed as Chairman Emeritus.
- “In the 18 years Judge McConnell has been on the board of Crossroads Rhode Island, it has received over $128 million in government funding.”
- The nonprofit received $18.6 million in government funding in 2023 – more than half its total revenue for the year.
- “Crossroads Rhode Island has already received just under $2.9 million in FY2025 to provide various programs and services to Rhode Island”
- Rhode Island is one of the plaintiffs Judge McConnell sided with when he ruled against the federal funding freeze.
Thus, AFL writes, Judge McConnell was legally required to disclose his close ties to Crossroads and was ethically obligated to recuse himself in order to avoid even the appearance of impropriety – but, he did neither.
As a result of these revelations, AFL is calling on Judge McConnell to immediately vacate his temporary restraining order against the funding freeze and recuse himself from the case.
“If accurate, these are grounds for impeachment of the judge,” Musk replied to AFL’s posts on Monday.
/1🚨BREAKING — FEDERAL JUDGE McCONNELL MUST RECUSE HIMSELF IMMEDIATELY.
— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) February 16, 2025
AFL has uncovered a major potential conflict of interest for Judge John McConnell, Chief Judge of the federal district court of Rhode Island, who halted President Trump’s temporary spending freeze.
READ ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/mDEBDxd5hX