California Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a lawsuit against the Trump administration after millions of dollars in grants to state libraries were terminated abruptly through the Trump administration’s efforts to illegally shutter the agency that administers them. This threatens federal funding to California libraries that support library staff and critical library programs, including literacy and language tutoring and summer reading and activity programs.  Attorney General Bonta joined the lawsuit alongside the attorneys general of New York, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. This is California’s 12th lawsuit against the Trump administration. 

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) is demanding answers from the artificial intelligence nonprofit, Future of Privacy Forum, over its having used federal grant money to advocate for states to adopt AI laws. Sen Cruz raises concerns about the group’s advocacy for AI regulations aligned with the Biden administration’s political agenda, such as policing speech and embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion principles in AI code. He is also reviewing FPF’s federal grants amid concerns that the organization attempted to obscure its support for Biden’s AI regulatory agenda. FPF was a key player in the creation of a bill introduced in the Texas state legislature called the Responsible AI Governance Act. The original bill mirrored strict EU-style AI regulations, such as a pre-approval testing mandate before AI could be used and safety standards that aligned with Biden-era policies. As initially written, TRAIGA would have imposed broad liability on AI developers, creating a regulatory framework for algorithmic discrimination and bias.

In both Washington and California, a narrative has quickly emerged about Musk’s assault on the federal government: This is what happens when you bring the Silicon Valley playbook to D.C. As Musk’s young lackeys rifle through sensitive databases, conk out in makeshift bedrooms set up in government buildings, and gut entire agencies, the implication seems to be that this is how it’s done in tech. And there is a very loud corner of the tech sector that agrees. But in an industry whose workforce overwhelmingly donated to Democrats, in a region whose voters overwhelmingly backed Kamala Harris, there are also a lot of people in tech who view Musk’s handiwork as not just dangerous, but totally antithetical to running a healthy business, let alone the government. They’re just increasingly terrified to say that out loud.