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White House wants to move TMF to ‘pass the hat’ funding model

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4 months ago

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The Trump administration is zeroing out the Technology Modernization Fund for next year. But that doesn’t mean its coffers will be empty.

As part of newly released fiscal 2026 budget details, the White House is proposing a new funding model for the TMF.

The General Services Administration, which oversees the TMF, wants to make it a revolving or working capital fund of sorts.

The legislative proposal would let “GSA, with the approval of OMB, to collect funding from other agencies and bring that funding into the TMF,” GSA wrote in its budget justification document. “This would allow agencies to transfer resources to the TMF using funds that are otherwise no longer available to them for obligation. This provision is essential to providing the TMF with the necessary funds to help the federal government address critical technology challenges by modernizing high-priority systems, improving AI adoption and supporting cross-government collaboration and scalable services.”

GSA wants to be able to collect up to $100 million a year in otherwise expired funding. The TMF funding would be no-year money as well.

“To further strengthen the TMF’s ability to help agencies kickstart or accelerate their urgent modernization efforts, GSA and OMB are committed to exploring alternative funding mechanisms,” GSA wrote. “This proposal offers a dual benefit: It would increase the amount of funding available in the TMF to make continued investments while simultaneously alleviating the burden on the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee. By responsibly managing existing resources, the TMF is positioned to deliver lasting value to the American people and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of government services.”

A source familiar with the TMF process said this “pass the hat” model isn’t necessarily a new idea. The TMF leadership discussed this previously as getting appropriations through the normal process proved difficult.

The source said the new approach may work better than the traditional process, depending on how much funding actually flows back into the fund.

Two other funds use this approach

GSA says this provision is modeled after two sections of the 2024 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act. One of the sections lets GSA collect money from credit card rebates to put toward the Office of Governmentwide Policy efforts to manage the CXO councils and “governmentwide and other multiagency financial, information technology, procurement and other management innovations, initiatives and activities, including improving coordination and reducing duplication.”

The second section collects funding to support activities of the Federal Citizen Services Fund at GSA.

Congress approved the authority for OGP up to $32 million and the FCSF for up to $29 million.

“It sounds pretty good as first glance. It’s been a challenge to get repayment, and funding IT modernization with remaining funds, credit card rebates and other change you can find between the couch cushions is good and makes a lot of sense,” said Franklin Square Group’s Kevin Cummins, the former staff member lead in the Senate on the MGT Act, which authorized and advocated for funding the TMF. “I would like to see congressional funding too. This shouldn’t replace that. But having extra flexibility to get money into the fund would be a good thing.”

The TMF long has struggled to obtain funding from Congress. Outside of the $1 billion it received from the American Rescue Plan Act, lawmaker have allocated limited to no support.

Last year, for example, Congress rescinded $113 million from the TMF and zeroed out any new funding.

The Biden administration requested $200 million for the TMF in its 2024 budget request. The TMF board received $50 million in 2023 from Congress. For fiscal 2025, the White House asked for $75 million for the TMF.

In its 2026 proposal, GSA recognized the TMF’s long-standing funding challenges.

“Without sustained funding, the TMF will continue shepherding investments with available resources, but will not be able to tackle large-scale investments needed to advance policy priorities nor meet the significant demand shown for the fund,” GSA wrote. “The TMF is committed to long-term financial sustainability while meeting the growing demand from agencies tackling critical technology infrastructure investments. To ensure the fund’s continued viability, we anticipate full repayment for future investments, with rare exceptions subject to approval by the GSA administrator and OMB director.”

The TMF Board updated the repayment requirements in April, now prioritizing full repayment for new investments. The board says this will better ensure the long-term sustainability of the TMF and allow for continued investment in modernization projects across the government.

“Sustained investment in the TMF represents a critical strategy for transforming government IT management, ultimately saving time, budget, and reducing cybersecurity risks,” GSA stated.

Cummins said the full repayment model hasn’t worked as intended and expects that it will continue to be a problem for agencies.

“Agencies have had a hard time finding real dollars to repay funding. If the TMF gets bogged down by requiring 100% repayment, it may not get a lot of use going forward,” he said.

FCSF, ITOR to see increases

There is support to update the underlying legislation that created the TMF, the Modernizing Government Technology Act of 2017. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), chairwoman of the Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, IT and Government Innovation, reintroduced the Modernizing Government Technology (MGT) Reform Act in April. The bill would reauthorize and reform the TMF and its governing board as well as improve its administration to maintain focus on getting rid of legacy IT systems.

The TMF lost an ardent supporter in former Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who passed away in May.

For 2025, GSA says it expects the TMF to have more than $231.8 million available to loan out.

Source: GSA budget justification for 2026.

In addition to the TMF, GSA is requesting $70 million for the Federal Citizen Services Fund for next year. And like the proposal for the TMF, Congress granted the fund the ability to collect expired funding in 2023. GSA says it would collect another $16 million from agencies.

“The fiscal 2026 President’s budget request builds on the 2023 vision for the fund that included both agency contributions and direct appropriations. Some shared services will remain fully funded by appropriations, while other mature and broadly used shared services will receive funding from agency contributions,” GSA wrote. “As agency contributions are normalized and become a standard, predictable way of doing business, GSA will be able to transition more programs to this funding model, lessening the dependence on constrained annual appropriations for popular programs that must scale to meet demand.”

A third pot of money to support IT modernization, the IT Oversight and Reform (ITOR) fund at OMB, would receive $19.6 million for 2026. This is up from the $8 million it received this year.

The post White House wants to move TMF to ‘pass the hat’ funding model first appeared on Federal News Network.

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Politics

Black Lives Matter Activist in Boston Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges – Scammed Donors to Fund Her Lifestyle

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20 hours ago

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September 24, 2025

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Screencap of YouTube video.

A Black Lives Matter activist in Boston named Monica Cannon-Grant pleaded guilty to federal charges this week, admitting that she scammed donors and used their money to fund her own lavish lifestyle.

Cannon-Grant was previously held up as an admired figure. The city of Boston named her the Bostonian of the year at one point for her ‘social justice activism’ and she was even recognized by the Boston Celtics basketball team for her efforts.

She is now facing a minimum of two years in prison.

The New York Post reports:

BLM-linked activist admits conning donors to fund her lavish lifestyle

A once-celebrated Boston social activist has pleaded guilty to defrauding donors — including Black Lives Matter — out of thousands of dollars that she used as a personal piggy bank.

Monica Cannon-Grant, 44, pleaded guilty Monday to 18 counts of fraud-related crimes that she committed with her late husband while operating their Violence in Boston (VIB) activists group, according to the US Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts.

The activist scammed money — including $3,000 from a BLM group — while claiming it was to help feed children and run protests like one in 2020 over the murder of George Floyd and police violence.

Cannon-Grant also conned her way into getting $100,000 in federal pandemic-related unemployment benefits — which she used to pay off her personal auto loan and car insurance policy.

But she has now confessed to transferring funds to personal bank accounts to pay for rent, shopping sprees, delivery meals, visits to a nail salon — and even a summer vacation to Maryland.

Just amazing.

Here’s a local video report:

She should pay back every penny.

The post Black Lives Matter Activist in Boston Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges – Scammed Donors to Fund Her Lifestyle appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Keith Olbermann Backpedals Furiously With Apology for Threatening CNN’s Scott Jennings – Jennings Responds (VIDEO)

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20 hours ago

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September 24, 2025

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As the Gateway Pundit reported yesterday, former MSNBC host and generally unhinged leftist Keith Olbermann, appeared to threaten CNN’s conservative pundit Scott Jennings on Twitter saying, ‘You’re next motherf**ker.’

Well, Olbermann may have gotten a phone call or a visit from the FBI because today he walked back those comments with a full-throated apology.

RedState has an update:

To quickly recap, Scott Jennings, a Salem Media Network radio host and conservative CNN political commentator, reacted to breaking news on Monday that Kimmel had been reinstated by tweeting, “So basically his employer suspended him for being an insensitive pr**k, and we don’t live in an authoritarian regime? Got it.”

This enraged Olbermann, who proceeded to tweet what many, including Jennings, perceived to be a threat. “You’re next, motherf**ker. But keep mugging to the camera.” Jennings tagged Patel and included a screengrab of the tweets in response.

Though the FBI hasn’t commented as to whether an investigation was launched, Olbermann ostensibly appears to have thought twice about what he tweeted and deleted, apologizing profusely in tweets posted on Tuesday and claiming what he wrote was “misinterpreted”:

See Olbermann’s tweet below:

Scott Jennings, always a class act, offered this hilarious response:

Keith Olbermann really needs help. The guy is just so out of control.

The post Keith Olbermann Backpedals Furiously With Apology for Threatening CNN’s Scott Jennings – Jennings Responds (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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Where is Lance Twiggs? Kirk Assassin’s Transgender Lover Has Vanished

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20 hours ago

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September 24, 2025

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Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson and roommate Lance Twiggs

Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson lived with his transgender partner – a male-to-female trans named Lance “Luna” Twiggs.

The FBI used Robinson’s texts with his transgender partner to solidify that Robinson was the assassin. Lance Twiggs has not been charged with any crime; however, federal authorities are still investigating.

Last week, Utah authorities released the text exchange between Tyler Robinson and his transgender lover, Lance Twiggs, sent shortly after Kirk’s assassination.

Utah County District Attorney Jeff Gray announced seven charges against Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson. They will also be seeking the death penalty.

Robinson was charged with:

– Count 1: Aggravated murder (capital offense)
– Count 2: Felony reckless discharge of a firearm causing bodily injury
– Count 3: Felony obstruction of justice for hiding the firearm
– Count 4: Felony obstruction of justice for discarding the clothing he wore during the shooting
– Count 5: Witness tampering for asking roommate to delete incriminating messages
– Count 6: Witness temperating for demanding trans roommate stay silent, and not speak to police
– Count 7: Commission of a violent offense in the presence of a child

Jeff Gray released the chilling texts between Tyler Robinson and his “love” Lance Twiggs.

Read the text exchange here:

Tyler Robinson texts with transgender lover Lance Twiggs / 1
Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson texts with transgender lover Lance Twiggs / 2

Lance Twiggs was reportedly cooperating with the FBI, however, according to the Daily Mail he has seemingly vanished.

“If [Lance Twiggs] ever comes back, it will be in a body bag,” a neighbor said to the Daily Mail. “That’s not a threat – I’m just saying that there are so many people who want a piece of him he’d be mad to show his face in public again. This was a generational event.”

The Daily Mail reported:

The Trans boyfriend of Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin has fled their former lovenest – and locals tell the Daily Mail they never want to see him again.

Lance Twiggs, 22, was led away for questioning when police swooped on the smart three-bed condo he shared with accused gunman Tyler Robinson, 22.

Shaken neighbors say the part time plumber has not been back to the $320,000 property in St. George, Utah – one declaring: ‘Good riddance. I never want to see either of them again.’

His beaten-up Infinity compact is still parked in his space with his work gear tossed across the back seat and a sandwich wrapper and a drink on the front passenger seat.

Upstairs lights have been left on for more than a week and notes and Amazon packages are piling up outside the home owned by Twiggs’s devout Mormon family.

The post Where is Lance Twiggs? Kirk Assassin’s Transgender Lover Has Vanished appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

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