Day 47
March 7, 2025
4 documented events
- Major Abuse of Power Civil Rights
Coercion of Universities: Funding Freezes, Research Cuts, and Demands for Political Compliance
The Trump administration froze or canceled billions in university funding to coerce political compliance, including $400 million canceled from Columbia (which paid a $221 million settlement), $2.2 billion frozen from Harvard (which refused to comply and won a court order), $250+ million in NIH grants terminated at Columbia's medical center, and investigations opened against 60 universities. The administration demanded Columbia suspend protesters, change admissions, place departments under 'academic receivership,' and ban protest masks — all within one week. NIH funding was cut 24% overall, and the administration proposed a 44% budget reduction.
From: Coercion of Universities: Funding Freezes, Research Cuts, and Demands for Political Compliance
- Serious Rights Violation Corruption & Self-Dealing
DOGE Employees Matched Social Security Data with Voter Rolls to Pursue Voter Fraud Claims
DOGE employees at the Social Security Administration secretly consulted with a political advocacy group about using Americans' Social Security data to cross-reference state voter rolls in pursuit of voter fraud allegations. One DOGE staffer signed a 'Voter Data Agreement' with the group in his capacity as an SSA employee. The employees were referred to a federal watchdog for potential Hatch Act violations, and SSA's inspector general opened an investigation in 2026.
From: DOGE Employees Matched Social Security Data with Voter Rolls to Pursue Voter Fraud Claims
- Serious Rights Violation Federal Dismantlement
Report finds DOGE layoffs may 'overwhelm' unemployment system
CNBC reports that the scale of DOGE-directed layoffs threatens to overwhelm the unemployment insurance system designed for federal workers, which was never built to handle mass separations of this magnitude.
From: DOGE-Directed Mass Firings and Forced Resignations of Federal Workers
- Major Abuse of Power Corruption & Self-Dealing
Head of Office of the Pardon Attorney fired
Trump fires career DOJ attorney Liz Oyer, head of the Office of the Pardon Attorney, and installs political loyalist Ed Martin. The office had traditionally served as a nonpartisan filter evaluating clemency petitions on their merits.