Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio has unveiled a budget wishlist that would slash funding for federal agencies that he says have been “weaponized” against conservatives.
Jordan released on Tuesday a series of government funding recommendations that he says will hold the Biden administration “accountable” and protect civil liberties.
The wishlist includes cuts to the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the IRS. Jordan also wants to defund the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack on the Capitol.
Jordan argues that these agencies have been used by Democrats to target conservatives and to interfere in elections. He cites the FBI’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups, and the Department of Justice’s decision to not prosecute Hillary Clinton for her use of a private email server.
“These agencies have been weaponized against conservatives,” Jordan said in a statement. “They have been used to spy on political opponents, to silence dissent, and to obstruct justice. It’s time to put an end to this abuse of power.”
Jordan said the judiciary panel “recommends prohibiting taxpayer dollars from being used to implement the Biden Administration’s radical immigration policies.”
Jordan took aim at the FBI, which Republicans have accused of politicization, calling for appropriations bills to cut funding “that is not absolutely essential for the agency to execute its mission.” As a starting point, Jordan suggested: “eliminating taxpayer funding for any new FBI headquarter facility and instead examining options for relocating the FBI’s headquarters outside of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.”
Jordan closed out his letter with what he called an “initial list of suggested priorities” for fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills, including a bid to stymie money used to “implement a policy that discourages United States Marshals Service employees or personnel from fully enforcing 18 U.S.C. § 1507,” a section of U.S. Code meant to prohibit the intimidation of judges, jurors, court officers, and witnesses by protesters.
#EXCLUSIVE — @JudiciaryGOP Chairman @Jim_Jordan sent a letter to @HouseAppropsGOP Chairwoman @RepKayGranger laying out his appropriations demands meant to cut spending and hold federal agencies accountable.https://t.co/nCIdhfJdf4
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) July 12, 2023
