Case: City of Saint Paul, Minnesota v. Wright

1:25-cv-03899 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: Nov. 10, 2025

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

(This summary is temporary, while we research the case.)

On November 10, 2025, six plaintiffs including the City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, filed this suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Department of Energy (DOE), Secretary Christopher Wright, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and Director Russell Vought. They challenged DOE’s October 2025 mass termination of hundreds of clean-energy grants and cooperative agreements worth roughly $7.5 billion. Plaintiffs alleged the cuts were made to punish states that voted for Vice President Harris in the 2024 election, in violation of the First and Fifth Amendments. Plaintiffs sought declaratory judgment that the terminations violate the First and Fifth Amendments, as well as preliminary and permanent injunctions reinstating all terminated awards.

This case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Zainab Mustafa (11/16/2025)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71894043/parties/city-of-saint-paul-minnesota-v-wright/


Attorney for Plaintiff

Jacobson, Daniel F. (District of Columbia)

Robinson, John (District of Columbia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

1:25-cv-03899

Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

Complaint

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71894043/city-of-saint-paul-minnesota-v-wright/

Last updated Nov. 19, 2025, 6:24 p.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-12071484) filed by ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, INC., interstate renewable energy council, PLUG IN AMERICA, CITY OF SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA, ELEVATE ENERGY, SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons, # 3 Summons, # 4 Summons, # 5 Summons)(Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 11/10/2025)

1 Civil Cover Sheet

View on PACER

2 Summons

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3 Summons

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4 Summons

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5 Summons

View on PACER

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

Clearinghouse
2

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by ELEVATE ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, INC., PLUG IN AMERICA, SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, interstate renewable energy council (Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 11/10/2025)

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

3

NOTICE of Appearance by John Robinson on behalf of ELEVATE ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND, INC., PLUG IN AMERICA, SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, interstate renewable energy council (Robinson, John) (Entered: 11/10/2025)

Nov. 10, 2025

Nov. 10, 2025

Case Assigned to Judge Amit P. Mehta. (zhcn)

Nov. 12, 2025

Nov. 12, 2025

NOTICE OF NEW CASE ERROR The following error(s) need correction: Missing summonses- U.S. government. When naming a U.S. government agent or agency as a defendant, you must supply a summons for each defendant & two additional summonses for the U.S. Attorney & U.S. Attorney General. Please submit using the event Request for Summons to Issue. (zhcn)

Nov. 12, 2025

Nov. 12, 2025

9

Notice of Appearance

Nov. 17, 2025

Nov. 17, 2025

Order on Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice

Nov. 17, 2025

Nov. 17, 2025

Status Report Order

Nov. 17, 2025

Nov. 17, 2025

10

Notice of Appearance

Nov. 19, 2025

Nov. 19, 2025

11

Summons Returned Executed as to US Attorney

Nov. 19, 2025

Nov. 19, 2025

12

Notice of Appearance

Nov. 19, 2025

Nov. 19, 2025

13

Status Report

Nov. 19, 2025

Nov. 19, 2025

Case Details

State / Territory:

District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Presidential/Gubernatorial Authority

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Litigation and Investigations Involving the Government

Key Dates

Filing Date: Nov. 10, 2025

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Plaintiffs are grantees, sub grantees, and entitles affiliated with terminated awards, including nonprofit organizations and muncipilaties.

Plaintiff Type(s):

City/County Plaintiff

Non-profit NON-religious organization

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Defendant Type(s):

Jurisdiction-wide

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Equal Protection

Freedom of speech/association

Other Dockets:

District of District of Columbia 1:25-cv-03899

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: None Yet / None

Relief Sought:

Declaratory judgment

Injunction

Relief Granted:

None yet

Source of Relief:

None yet

Issues

General/Misc.:

Funding

Environmental Justice and Resources:

Funding

Voting:

Voting: General & Misc.