Special counsel John Durham’s recent report outlined a pattern of troubling behavior by the FBI in its investigation into allegations of collusion between Donald Trump and Russia ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
The bureau has come under even more acute scrutiny over the past several weeks due to the testimony of whistleblowers who have reportedly made damning allegations in statements to members of Congress.
In response to the latest developments, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) argued that the House should use its power of the purse to compel reforms within the agency.
Fox News Channel personality Maria Bartiromo asked Jordan how he planned to leverage his leadership positions on the House Judiciary Committee and House Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government.
“Well, in the end, money always gets people’s attention,” he responded. “And so, what we’re going to have to do is say, ‘Hey, FBI, you can’t use federal dollars, you can’t use the American tax dollars for this kind of activity.’”
The Ohio Republican confirmed that GOP lawmakers must use the appropriations process to limit how the FBI is able to use federal funding.
“That’s the power that the founders wanted the legislative branch, and in particular, the House … which stands for election every two years, to be the body closest to the people deciding how we spend the money,” Jordan added.
When Bartiromo asked whether such a process was already underway, Jordan confirmed that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and other House Republicans “have committed to doing all 12 appropriations bills that fund the government over the next several months.”
The first of those bills should be surfacing within the next few weeks.
“We’ve been meeting with the appropriations staff, our staff on the Judiciary Committee, to work on how we can limit money, American tax dollars, being used in these ways and deal with the overall budget that the FBI and the DOJ is receiving,” he added.
Here we go again — an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance against President Trump.
I’m directing relevant committees to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by…
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) March 18, 2023
Earlier this year, Trump advocated for defunding the FBI in response to an investigation into his handling of classified documents. Jordan shared a similar sentiment at the time.
“We control the power of the purse, and … we’re going to have to look at the appropriations process and limit funds going to some of these agencies, particularly the ones who are engaging in the most egregious behavior,” he said last month.
