Former President Donald Trump urged Congressional Republicans to defund the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice, Breitbart reported. He made these remarks Wednesday, just one day after his arraignment in New York City.
It's becoming difficult to deny that the left has been using these agencies for political prosecutions. Everything from the raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence to a raid on a pro-life protester's home has been part of that trend.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) called out the Justice Department for these atrocious missteps during a Senate Judiciary Committee last month before Trump's case became so serious. Moreover, a recent survey found that 79 percent of GOP voters agreed that Republicans and conservatives alike are being targeted by federal law enforcement.
This seems nearly undeniable now in the face of Trump's legal woes and upcoming trial. The former president took to his Truth Social account to share a call to arms to lawmakers.
"REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS SHOULD DEFUND THE DOJ AND FBI UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES," Trump wrote, choosing to post in all capital letters to get the point across. "THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TOTALLY WEAPONIZED LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR COUNTRY AND ARE VICIOUSLY USING THIS ABUSE OF POWER TO INTERFERE WITH OUR ALREADY UNDER SIEGE ELECTIONS!"
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had the same assessment of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose decision to prosecute Trump has "weaponized our sacred justice system" against the former president. "Alvin Bragg has irreparably damaged our country in an attempt to interfere in our Presidential election," the California Republican tweeted last week.
"As he routinely frees violent criminals to terrorize the public, he weaponized our sacred system of justice against President Donald Trump. The American people will not tolerate this injustice, and the House of Representatives will hold Alvin Bragg and his unprecedented abuse of power to account." McCarthy promised.
After Trump made his appearance in court this week, McCarthy doubled down on his admonition of Bragg. "Alvin Bragg is attempting to interfere in our democratic process by invoking federal law to bring politicized charges against President Trump, admittedly using federal funds, while at the same time arguing that the people’s representatives in Congress lack jurisdiction to investigate this farce," McCarthy wrote Tuesday.
"Not so. Bragg’s weaponization of the federal justice process will be held accountable by Congress," he added. Republican leadership will reportedly meet soon to do just that.
Bragg's office admitted they used $5,000 in federal money to pursue Trump in the case stemming from a hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels, the Washington Examiner reported. Although it's a relatively small contribution, Republicans could have a way to defund the New York district attorney.
"I am disgusted with District Attorney Bragg’s office. They’ve spent thousands of dollars in federal funds to investigate President Trump and receive millions more in federal grants," Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) tweeted Monday.
"Congress should immediately cease funding this weaponized office," he added. None of the $2 million in grant money from Washington, D.C., was used in Trump's case, but revoking it could nevertheless become an avenue to right this wrong.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan similarly offered defunding Bragg as a solution to the overreach. “We control the power of the purse and we’re going to look at the appropriations process and limit funds going to some of these agencies, particularly the ones engaged in the most egregious behavior," the Ohio Republican said in an interview.
Democrats have increasingly used law enforcement to do their political bidding. The American people can see this for what it is, but lawmakers have to make sure it can never happen again.
