Republican Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) on Friday introduced a bill that would prevent special counsel Jack Smith from drawing a federal salary amid Republican outrage at indictments of former President Donald Trump that seem politically motivated.
GOP Reps. Alex Mooney (WV) and Eli Crane (AZ) cosponsored the bill, named the Yanking Outlays for an Unethical, Ruthless Enterprise that Fraudulently Impedes Robust Electoral Debate (You're fired) Act.
"The Biden Administration’s weaponization of the DOJ for personal political gain through the appointment of Jack Smith is nothing short of appalling," Ogles said. "In November 2022, he was tasked with taking down Biden’s biggest threat, President Donald J. Trump."
"From falsified indictments to non-existent supporting 'evidence', everything about the proceedings by Smith have screamed desperate," he continued. "America cannot and will not stand for that, and it’s well past time that Congress uses its power of the purse to tell Jack Smith: you're fired."
Smith has indicted Trump on two separate grounds, for mishandling classified documents and for the events of January 6, 2021. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has claimed that they are a political witch hunt and election interference by the Biden administration.
It's not like Trump is accused of taking bribes, the way Republicans in the House have begun to assemble the evidence to prove regarding President Joe Biden.
If there were serious charges that had clear evidence behind them, it might be worth the political fallout of charging a former president and current GOP frontrunner with crimes.
In the current situation, however, the indictments absolutely reek of election interference even though there's not much anyone can do to stop it.
There's no possible way Ogles' bill will get through the Senate and be signed by Biden, so it's only a symbolic way to signal Republicans' displeasure.
“Biden’s Department of Justice is attempting to muzzle the voice of the American people and forcibly impose the Administration’s morally corrupt agenda onto this country,” Crane said in a statement.
“The weaponization of the DOJ against the political enemies of the Biden Crime Family, by way of left-wing puppet Jack Smith, is contrary to our governing principles," he added. "It’s simple: patriotic American taxpayers shouldn’t be funding the salary of someone actively fighting to suppress their voices.”
Mooney wants to see the DOJ held accountable for its political actions against Trump.
“Joe Biden’s administration is run by left-wing political activists. Jack Smith is the latest example of someone who will do anything it takes to ensure that President Trump is kept out of the White House,” Mooney said in a statement.
He added, “Congress must hold the rogue DOJ accountable, and I support withholding funding to Jack Smith until the department ceases pushing its blatantly partisan two-tiered system of justice. These disgusting abuses of power will fail, and Donald Trump will be elected again in 2024.”
