Latest news with #Schwei
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOJ attorney arguing Trump funding freeze had dinner in Providence. Here's our suggestions
One lighthearted exchange in the midst of Friday's federal court hearing regarding the president's funding freeze got us thinking. When welcoming Department of Justice attorney Daniel Schwei, who was representing the government's interest in the case, to begin his arguments, Judge John J. McConnell asked him if he visited any local restaurants, no doubt invoking Providence's reputation as a foodie city. Schwei replied that he ate a burger at Providence G Pub, located at 61 Orange St. a short walk from the courthouse. "We have better," McConnell quipped. Providence G Pub is a fun place, with a gastro-pub-style menu, arcade games, shuffleboard, billiards and 17 wide-screen TVs. But Providence has a lot to offer. Arguments wrapped up at about 3:15 p.m. but perhaps Mr. Schwei will be back to give one of these restaurants a try, maybe even to celebrate, as he noted in response to McConnell's comment. In January, Eater's guide of Where to Eat 2025 features just 18 cities across the world − and Providence was one. "Despite Providence's miniscule footprint, you'll find it tough to cover all the city's great meals," Eater wrote in the story published Jan. 7. The article cited upstarts to try including "the juicy burger from There, There; the signature bowl of chewy, tingly noodles from Subat Dilmurat's Uyghur restaurant Jahunger; and the pizza from Robert Andreozzi's much-talked-about Pizza Marvin." It also named chef Eric Brown's cafe Frank & Laurie's, opened with wife Sarah Watts, "serving generous slices of custardy quiche and charred pancakes dripping with maple syrup." "You'll also find happy customers at 45-year-old rustic Italian restaurant Al Forno (the birthplace of grilled pizza), fancy-night-out stalwart Persimmon, and Mexican favorite Dolores," she wrote. And if Mr. Schwei just wanted to stick with a burger, here are some of Rhode Island's best. LoveFood named the "Crunch Burger" at the Harry's Bar and Burger in Providence as the best cheeseburger in the Ocean State. LoveFood, a website that provides restaurant recommendations as well as recipes, found and ranked the best cheeseburgers in all 50 states of the country from all kinds of places, from fine-dining restaurants to mom-and-pop burger shops. "To make a Crunch Burger, take a Harry's Classic Cheese – a potato roll packed with a freshly ground beef patty, American cheese, lettuce, pickles, and special sauce – and add fried onion strings," LoveFood said. When the Providence Journal asked readers in an unscientific poll for their favorite burger spot, Chomp, with locations in Warren and Providence (and one to come in Newport), came out on top. Unpretentious but incredibly delicious, Chomp Kitchen and Drinks has been a go-to spot for burgers since they opened their first location in Warren in 2013. Burgers are one of their specialties, and as you can tell from the reader support, there's a good reason. If you want to keep it simple, order their house burger, but if you're feeling more adventurous, consider something like their New Bulgogi Beef topped with shaved bulgogi ribeye, party sauce, spicy sweet chili Doritos and soy scallion chimichurri. Providence Journal food and dining editor Gail Ciampa offers up the previously mentioned There, There as one of her favorite meals in 2024. "In a small, unassuming space at 471 West Fountain St., you may well have the best burger in Rhode Island. There, There is Brandon Teachout's first restaurant, with delicious burgers and coffee milk. Sounds like a winning combo, doesn't it?" Gail wrote at the end of the year. She recommended the Dream Burger, which is served up with double patties (smashed style), crisp shredded lettuce and a nice little sauce on a soft, heavily seeded roll that doesn't fall apart. "It is a delicious blend of comfort that is crazy delicious." To make it a meal, Gail suggests combining it with coffee milk and steak fries. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence restaurants: Where the DOJ's Daniel Schwei should have eaten
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Providence will be the backdrop to upcoming hearing in federal funding freeze lawsuit
Providence serves as the setting for a hearing in a high–profile lawsuit filed by 23 Democratic attorneys general seeking to block a federal funding freeze. (Photo by Nicholas Millard/Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau) Attorneys offered a glimpse of what's to come in the federal lawsuit challenging the federal funding freeze during a virtual status conference in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island Thursday. The 21-minute meeting was streamed via the court's YouTube page, an unusual move for a 'pedantic scheduling conference' typically only open to parties to the case, Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. said. However, McConnell said the court received multiple press inquiries asking the meeting to be open to the public. The high–profile lawsuit was first filed in Providence on Jan. 28 by 23 Democratic attorneys general scrambling to block a federal funding freeze in the wake of a White House budget memo. The memo was later rescinded, but McConnell granted a temporary restraining order on Jan. 31, preventing President Donald Trump and the other federal cabinet heads named in the complaint from freezing funds until further notice. The AGs still want a more permanent block via a preliminary injunction, which would prevent the federal government from barring states' access to critical federal grants and aid until a final judgment is made. The AGs have until Friday to submit additional, written arguments for the preliminary injunction. The forthcoming filing will likely include more affidavits from state administrators whose agencies would be hurt by a freeze, Kate Sabatini, civil division chief for the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General, told McConnell. However, the AGs don't plan on bringing in witnesses to testify in a trial-like proceeding known as an evidentiary hearing. Daniel Schwei, the U.S. Department of Justice attorney representing Trump and federal cabinet heads, also said the defense does not plan to call for witness testimony. 'We share the desire for an expeditious resolution,' Schwei said. The proposal for preliminary injunction will be argued in federal court in Providence on Feb. 21, though there will also be an option for remote participation. Ahead of the hearing, McConnell verbally indicated he will grant a 14-day extension to the existing temporary restraining order, ensuring there are no attempts to freeze access to federal funds. A written order was filed in court immediately following the hearing, according to court documents. However, there appears to be confusion over what's included in his existing restraining order. Schwei, in a Monday, Feb. 3, filing, said he intended to confirm compliance with McConnell's restraining order, but also noted some 'ambiguous terms and provisions' in the judge's language. Schwei wrote that the federal administration did not interpret the block to apply to Trump's executive orders, nor to actions by any of the federal agencies not named in the case. Rabia Muqaddam, special counsel for federal initiatives with the Office of the New York State Attorney General, said Thursday that state agencies were still being blocked from accessing federal funds that support programs and payroll under this loophole. McConnell punted further discussion on the issue to a future hearing, since the concerns did not relate to scheduling or administrative tasks. 'On something as serious as that or as big as that, we need to do it formally,' he said, adding that the existing restraining order was 'clear.' Ahead of the upcoming hearing on Feb. 21, McConnell also promised to share a list of 'our finest restaurants' with out-of-towners. On Monday, a federal judge in D.C. issued a temporary restraining order blocking the funding freeze in response to a separate lawsuit filed by nonprofit and business groups. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
