Bill to Defund Special Counsel Jack Smith Hits Congress: 'We Must Act Immediately!'
Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida hopes to short-circuit the special counsel bringing his second federal indictment against former President Donald Trump by pulling the plug on his funding.
On Tuesday, Trump announced that he expects to be indicted by special counsel Jack Smith, who is investigating whether anyone “unlawfully interfered with the transfer of power” in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election and in particular on Jan. 6, 2021.
Last month, Smith secured an indictment against Trump accusing the former president of mishandling classified documents.
“I will be introducing legislation to DEFUND Jack Smith’s witch hunt against President Trump,” Gaetz tweeted on Tuesday. “They are attacking our democracy and engaging in election interference right now. The United States Congress has the capability to stop this election interference, and we must act immediately!”
BREAKING: I will be introducing legislation to DEFUND Jack Smith’s witch hunt against President Trump.
They are attacking our democracy and engaging in election interference right now.
The United States Congress has the capability to stop this election interference, and we must… pic.twitter.com/g8ZAc4PAyb
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) July 18, 2023
“In the coming hours, the coming days, I will be introducing legislation under my name in the House of Representatives as a freestanding bill to defund the Jack Smith investigation,” Gaetz said in a video that accompanied his post.
“We have to stop sending money to this.”
The terse bill introduced by Gaetz says that Smith should not be allowed access to federal funds.
Gaetz’s call to cut off funding for Smith follows last month’s proposal from Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia to do the same.
“This morning, I’m writing an appropriations rider to DEFUND Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office and entire investigation. I will not vote for ANY appropriations bill to fund the weaponization of government. I hope every one of my Republican colleagues will join me,” she posted on Twitter.
“We have to use the power of appropriations to stop the weaponization of government,” she wrote in another tweet. “Where are the investigations into true criminals like Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton?”
Jack Smith has weaponized the federal government against President Trump in a complete lie about January 6 to cover up the crimes of Joe & Hunter Biden and their entire criminal family.
The Democrats want to arrest every one of their political opponents.
It’s hard to recognize… pic.twitter.com/uK1NT8iKQQ
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) July 18, 2023
On Tuesday, Greene again lashed out at Smith on Twitter.
“Jack Smith is a lousy attorney. His career is filled with mistrials, overturned cases, and judicial rebukes. He only targets Republicans because he’s a weak little b**** for the Democrats,” she wrote.
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