A federal appeals court has ordered an immediate halt to construction of a $400 million ballroom on the White House campus. The U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia ruled on Friday that the project requires congressional approval, stating the president lacks unilateral authority for such a structure. The ballroom was planned for the site of the White House’s East Wing, which President Donald Trump previously ordered demolished.
According to the Associated Press, a three-member judge panel made the decision with a 2-1 vote. In its ruling, the court indicated that the decision to construct a significant ballroom rests with Congress, not the Executive branch acting on its own. President Trump denounced the outcome as an “unjust decision” and announced plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In other news released Friday, the U.S. job market unexpectedly shed 23,000 non-farm jobs in July, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Analysts, as reported by United Press International, had anticipated an addition of 88,000 jobs. Despite the job losses, the Department of Labor report noted a slight decrease in the national unemployment rate, moving from 4.2 percent to 4.1 percent, with four percent generally considered “full employment.”
The reduction in jobs primarily affected local government and education sectors, along with retail and the financial industry. Conversely, the health care sector saw an increase, adding 22,000 jobs during the same period.
Meanwhile, Republicans in the U.S. Senate have now secured enough votes to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general. The New York Times is reporting that Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana will support Blanche, following earlier skepticism that had made his confirmation uncertain after Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced her opposition.
Senator Cassidy, who had lost his re-election bid to a candidate backed by President Donald Trump, stated his decision to vote for Blanche was based on the possibility that Blanche could temper some of the chief executive’s “more unusual legal moves,” including the Justice Department targeting opponents and critics.
Looking ahead to the weekend, West Orange County cities can expect warm conditions. Saturday’s forecast includes a daytime high of 89 degrees with an overnight low of 68 degrees and a 19 percent chance of rain. Sunday is predicted to be mostly sunny with a high of 90 degrees and a low of 70. Temperatures are expected to cool slightly on Monday to 86 (70) and further on Tuesday to 84 (69). Coastal areas typically experience temperatures up to five degrees cooler.
