On Friday night time’s 11th Hour, MSNBC columnist Hayes Brown argued that the federal government discovering and reallocating cash to fund sure personnel to be unlawful, however failed to offer concrete proof or reasoning. The section was primarily based on Brown’s equally weak opinion piece revealed earlier that day.
Brown’s beef was with authorities discovering the means to maintain sure federal employees and features funded. However Brown couldn’t make the argument with out instantly contradicting himself:
… in lots of of those circumstances, that is not technically allowed. For instance, navy officers getting their paychecks this week, that was executed by raiding the analysis and improvement funds on the Pentagon, which there are methods you are able to do that. Pete Hegseth does have powers to try this below the legislation, but it surely’s capped at a certain quantity, and there are specific tips to what you must do to make that occur.
Which was it, Brown? Both it was authorized or it wasn’t.
The uneasiness didn’t cease there: “Extra troubling, I feel, is the truth that within the White Home this week, we had FBI Director Kash Patel saying Trump discovered cash for particular brokers to receives a commission. No clarification the place that cash got here from…”
Oh no! Some legislation enforcement brokers tasked with investigating probably the most harmful home threats will proceed working!
Brown, once more, did not show his line of argument that the bizarre funding procedures have been clearly in violation of the legislation: “However then you’ve got extra complicated issues, like giving WIC cash from pulling cash from tariff income to place into WIC […] The place technically that is perhaps allowed, however it’s a very novel use of it.”
Even when these ways have been unlawful, Brown admitted it could be unlikely to be challenged in court docket, citing dangerous optics:
The issue is you must have somebody who’s prepared to go to court docket and say, “Please do not give cash to poor moms and infants. Please do not give cash to the navy.” And the White Home is betting that the optics of which can be dangerous sufficient that they’re going to simply be capable to skate by.
The clear argument for the White Home can be: “We discovered a method whereas Democrats refused to re-open the federal government.” You possibly can money that examine any day, Brown.
The transcript is beneath. Click on “increase” learn:
MSNBC’s The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle
October 17, 2025
11:07:47 p.m. EST
(…)
CATHERINE RAMPELL: So, Hayes, Nayyera talked about simply now the navy parade and another extravagant issues that Trump has spent cash on. You’ve got really written one thing not too long ago about how he has used some artistic accounting to proceed spending cash on his personal priorities, whilst the federal government has shut down. Are you able to clarify how he’s doing that and why I consider you assume it’s unlawful?
HAYES BROWN: So, as a result of OMB Director Russell Vought, who for all of his faults, is superb at what he does. And what he is doing proper now could be making an attempt to ensure that even within the midst of a shutdown, when there may be technically no cash, he’s on the lookout for locations throughout the federal authorities which have pockets of money nonetheless and saying, “We’ll simply use this.”
The issue there may be that for — in lots of of those circumstances, that is not technically allowed. For instance, navy officers getting their paychecks this week, that was executed by raiding the analysis and improvement funds on the Pentagon, which there are methods you are able to do that. Pete Hegseth does have powers to try this below the legislation, but it surely’s capped at a certain quantity, and there are specific tips to what you must do to make that occur.
Extra troubling, I feel, is the truth that within the White Home this week, we had FBI Director Kash Patel saying Trump discovered cash for particular brokers to receives a commission. No clarification the place that cash got here from —
RAMPELL: Like, within the sofa cushions someplace, in all probability.
BROWN: Completely. Simply sufficient to fund 1,800 particular brokers or one thing is what Patel mentioned. However then you’ve got extra complicated issues, like giving WIC cash from pulling cash from tariff income to place into WIC —
RAMPELL: Which is dietary help for —
BROWN: For new child moms —
RAMPELL: — ladies and new mothers. Mothers and youngsters.
BROWN: The place technically that is perhaps allowed, however it’s a very novel use of it. However a court docket would possibly say that is unlawful. The issue is you must have somebody who’s prepared to go to court docket and say, “Please do not give cash to poor moms and infants. Please do not give cash to the navy.” And the White Home is betting that the optics of which can be dangerous sufficient that they’re going to simply be capable to skate by.
RAMPELL: Proper. Who needs to be on the facet of “Preserve the cash away the poor mothers and infants”? I get that.
(…)
