GOP House Members Seek to Limit Power of Trump Prosecutors

House Republicans Seek to Restrain Prosecutors Targeting⁢ Trump

House Republicans are ⁢actively exploring ways to limit the power of‍ prosecutors who have⁤ ongoing ⁤cases against former President Donald ​Trump as‌ he prepares to run for another term in the White House.

One of the latest proposals comes from⁣ Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA), who recently announced a pair of amendments aimed at defunding federal and state prosecutions of major presidential candidates leading up to the 2024 ‍election. Clyde specifically highlighted what he referred to as “sham” cases against‌ Trump in his press release.

“We must ⁣use the power of the⁣ purse to protect ‌the integrity of our elections, ​restore Americans’ faith in our government, and⁤ dismantle our nation’s two-tiered system of‍ justice,” said Rep. Clyde. “I’m proud to lead this effort, and I hope my GOP colleagues will join⁢ me.”

Trump currently faces several criminal and ​civil cases, including a⁤ documents⁤ case and a 2020 election case led by special counsel Jack Smith. There is also a hush-money criminal ‍case brought by⁣ Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and a 2020 election ​case in Georgia spearheaded by Fulton County District⁣ Attorney​ Fani Willis. Trump vehemently denies any wrongdoing, setting the stage for trials throughout ‌the primary ‍calendar.

While the amendments proposed by Rep. Clyde face significant obstacles, such as Democratic ​control of the Senate and the need for GOP leadership and sufficient votes in the House, prominent Republican lawmakers continue to push for action. ‌This is particularly notable as Trump remains ⁤the⁤ clear front-runner in GOP primary polling, potentially setting ⁢up a general election rematch against President Joe Biden.

For example, House⁤ Judiciary‌ Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has‍ suggested that Congress should withhold ⁣funds for “politically sensitive” investigations until the Department of Justice establishes a ‍policy requiring ‌non-partisan ‌career staff ⁢to oversee them. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has introduced legislation ​to⁣ defund the ‌special counsel, and‍ Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) has pushed for defunding ⁢taxpayer funding from the ⁤Fulton County District Attorney ​Office.

Additionally, House ‌Republicans⁤ are conducting their own inquiries​ into the Department of Justice, Willis, and Bragg, aiming to uncover any potential coordination or improper conduct by the investigators themselves.

It’s worth noting ⁢that even⁤ if a government shutdown were to occur ⁢due to⁣ spending ⁣bill failures, the trials would not be directly affected.⁣ While state prosecutions would continue, Smith’s ‍office ⁤is funded ‍by a “permanent, indefinite appropriation for independent counsels,” and a DOJ⁤ memo from 2021 ​stated that criminal ⁣litigation would proceed as long as the Judicial Branch remains operational.

Regardless of​ the outcome of these Republican endeavors, the criminal and civil cases against Trump ‌have garnered significant media attention and⁢ financial resources, much of‌ which has been directed towards legal bills.