MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes on Thursday could not contain himself at one point during a discussion on the Trump administration’s “lawless gambit” of taking back $80 million in congressionally approved funds from New York City, which Comptroller Brad Lander said caused an overdraft of $79.5 million.
On All In, Hayes first summarized how the administration’s move was spurred by false info from Elon Musk, who alleged that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had sent $59 million intended for disaster relief to the city for “high end hotels for illegals.”
“This is the newest lawless gambit by Trump and his unelected co-president, Elon Musk—an attempt to basically detonate constitutional governance from within,” Hayes said, adding that the pair are doing what they “have a lot of practice at: reneging on contracts and refused to pay people who perform services for them.”
Lander, who is also New York City mayoral candidate, told Hayes that the retrieval was “highway robbery.”
“We had actually moved it over the five days since they gave it to us, so when they actually did the clawback, it caused the account to overdraft by $79.5 million,” Lander continued, eliciting a laugh from Hayes.
“I’m sure the chief financial officer was psyched about that!” he reacted.
Citibank, Lander added, ended up charging a $15,000 overdraft fee, but that has since been refunded.
Lander also said that Mayor Eric Adams cannot be relied on to confront the Trump administration about the money given the Justice Department’s demand that his corruption case be dropped in exchange for his cooperation with migrant removals.
“He is doing the bidding of President Trump, and not the bidding of New Yorkers who need that $80 million for all kinds of other things,” Lander said.
