Court Rejects Baltimore's Bid to Block CFPB Funding Cuts

A federal judge in Maryland, Matthew Maddox, has denied Baltimore's request for a temporary injunction to halt the Trump administration's efforts to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The court ruled that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that the CFPB had made a final agency decision regarding its funding, a prerequisite for judicial review under the Administrative Procedure Act. Baltimore and the Economic Action Maryland Fund had argued that the CFPB's actions, including a request for zero funding for the upcoming fiscal quarter, indicated an effort to dismantle the agency. Maddox emphasized that intervening before a final decision was made would exceed the court's jurisdiction. The ruling is seen as a victory for the Trump administration, which has sought to cut government spending. Ongoing legal challenges to the CFPB's funding and operations continue in various courts.