Case: AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS v. WRIGHT

1:26-cv-01063 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: March 30, 2026

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

[This summary is temporary while we research the case.] Four organizations filed a constitutional challenge against the Department of Energy (DOE) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB), alleging intentional political discrimination in grant terminations. The plaintiffs—American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Karpman Consulting LLC, Proton Energy Systems Inc., and RCAM Technologies Inc.—claimed that during an October 2025 government shutdown, defendants terminated 314 DOE grants worth appr…

[This summary is temporary while we research the case.]

Four organizations filed a constitutional challenge against the Department of Energy (DOE) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB), alleging intentional political discrimination in grant terminations. The plaintiffs—American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Karpman Consulting LLC, Proton Energy Systems Inc., and RCAM Technologies Inc.—claimed that during an October 2025 government shutdown, defendants terminated 314 DOE grants worth approximately $65.2 million exclusively to recipients in states that voted for Vice President Harris in the 2024 election. The complaint alleged that comparable grants to recipients in states that voted for President Trump remained unterminated, constituting a violation of the Fifth Amendment's Equal Protection Guarantee. Plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief to restore their terminated awards, which supported energy efficiency, hydrogen technology, solar technology, and offshore wind infrastructure projects.

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Summary Authors

Jinan Abufarha (4/12/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73110111/parties/american-institute-of-chemical-engineers-v-wright/

Judge(s)

Mehta, Amit Priyavadan (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Jacobson, Daniel F. (District of Columbia)

Robinson, John (District of Columbia)

Wirth, Stephen K. (District of Columbia)

Judge(s)

Mehta, Amit Priyavadan (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Jacobson, Daniel F. (District of Columbia)

Robinson, John (District of Columbia)

Wirth, Stephen K. (District of Columbia)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 1:26-cv-01063	Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief American Institute of Chemical Engineers v. Wright	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026 Complaint

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73110111/american-institute-of-chemical-engineers-v-wright/

Last updated April 20, 2026, 3:07 a.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT against All Defendants ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-12327033) filed by PROTON ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC. (d/b/a NEL HYDRODGEN US), KARPMAN CONSULTING LLC, AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS, RCAM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons to Christopher Wright, # 3 Summons to Department of Energy, # 4 Summons to Russell Vought, # 5 Summons to Office of Management and Budget, # 6 Summons to U.S. Attorney's Office, # 7 Summons to Attorney General)(Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 03/30/2026) 1 Civil Cover Sheet View on PACER 2 Summons to Christopher Wright View on PACER 3 Summons to Department of Energy View on PACER 4 Summons to Russell Vought View on PACER 5 Summons to Office of Management and Budget View on PACER 6 Summons to U.S. Attorney's Office View on PACER 7 Summons to Attorney General View on PACER	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026 Clearinghouse
2	NOTICE OF RELATED CASE by All Plaintiffs. Case related to Case No. 25cv3899. (Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 03/30/2026)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
3	LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS, KARPMAN CONSULTING LLC, PROTON ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC. (d/b/a NEL HYDRODGEN US), RCAM TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (Jacobson, Daniel) (Entered: 03/30/2026)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
4	NOTICE of Appearance by John Robinson on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Robinson, John) (Entered: 03/30/2026)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
5	NOTICE of Appearance by Stephen K. Wirth on behalf of All Plaintiffs (Wirth, Stephen) (Entered: 03/30/2026)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
6	Summons Issued Electronically as to AUSA	March 31, 2026	March 31, 2026
	Case Assigned/Reassigned	March 31, 2026	March 31, 2026
7	Summons Returned Executed as to US Attorney	April 1, 2026	April 1, 2026
8	Amended Complaint	April 16, 2026	April 16, 2026
9	LCvR 26.1 Certificate of Disclosure - Corporate Affiliations/Financial Interests	April 16, 2026	April 16, 2026

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Case Details

State / Territory:

District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Public Benefits/Government Services

Special Collection(s):

Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government

Grant/Contract rescissions, Defunding or Other Threats against Private Entities

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 30, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Case Details

Other Dockets:

District of District of Columbia 1:26-cv-01063

Recommended Citation

Case Summary of AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS v. WRIGHT, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48080/ (last updated 4/12/2026).