Federal judge blocks Trump admin from dismantling 3 agencies

A federal judge is blocking President Donald Trump from shuttering three federal agencies that assist public resources, minority businesses and mediation services.

Nearly two dozen Democratic-led states sued to stop Trump from closing the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). U.S. District Judge John McConnell, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, sided with the states on Tuesday, affirming their arguments that the closings violated the separation of powers.

"It … disregards the fundamental constitutional role of each of the branches of our federal government; specifically, it ignores the unshakable principles that Congress makes the law and appropriate...