You’ve gotta love how New York and New Jersey played the old bait and switch with the federal government. An Obama-backed boondoggle was literally shut down with a scorching letter from the Trump administration calling out the two states for asking that the feds fund the initial stages of a ‘local project’ with government loans. Maybe NY Senator Chuck Schumer and NY Governor Cuomo should follow federal law on illegals, then maybe the feds would help him out…

Fox News reports:

An Obama-era plan to have the federal government finance half of a $13 billion rail tunnel project ran into a red light Friday from the Trump administration.

The plan, proposed under President Barack Obama in 2015, includes revitalizing a deteriorating Amtrak tunnel connecting New Jersey to New York City, repairing damage to a dual-tunnel conduit, and reconstructing the New Jersey railroad network’s aging Portal Bridge, Crain’s New York Business reported.

Amtrak, which owns most of the rail tunnels and tracks between Boston and Washington, D.C., contends that the existing tunnel connecting New Jersey and New York City is damaged and could fail within 10 to 15 years, threatening daily rail transportation in the Northeast.

The original Obama-era plan called for costs to be split among New York state, New Jersey and the federal government.

‘A LOCAL PROJECT’?

But in a letter Friday, the Trump administration notified New York and New Jersey that the Obama-era deal was now “non-existent” because the states recently requested that their portions be covered by loans from the federal government — meaning Washington would supply all of the initial funding for what the Trump White House is calling “a local project.”

“Your letter also references a non-existent ’50/50′ agreement between USDOT, New York, and New Jersey. There is no such agreement,” wrote K. Jane Williams, deputy administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. “We consider it unhelpful to reference a non-existent ‘agreement’ rather than directly address the responsibility for funding a local project where nine out of 10 passengers are local transit riders.”

Governor Cuomo was angling for more federal funds way back in July of 2015:

Israel News reports:

New rail tunnels under the Hudson River are needed to reduce delays, but the expensive project won’t work without a greater financial commitment from the federal government, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

The Democrat said Washington’s proposal to cover $3 billion of the estimated $14 billion tunnel project isn’t enough. He and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie are expected to meet soon with federal officials to discuss funding for the stalled plan, which comes after a series of delays that underscored the age and condition of the area’s transportation infrastructure.

“Everyone agrees that we need the tunnels,” Cuomo said in a radio interview. “If the federal government can make a significant contribution, than let’s go. We have the shovels. We need it. We’ll make it a priority. But we need to fund it.”

Isn’t it funny how Cuomo has been defiant on following federal law on illegal aliens and now this…Perhaps being a sanctuary city has consequences…