House Republicans, irate over the indictment of former President Trump, are threatening to strike back at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg by revoking the federal funds doled out to his office.
Mr. Bragg’s office said last week that $5,000 in federal funds was spent investigating the Trump Organization and Mr. Trump between October 2019 and August 2021. Most of that money was spent on Supreme Court litigation, according to a letter penned by Mr. Bragg’s general counsel, Leslie Dubeck.
None of the federal dollars used in the Trump probe came from grants, Ms. Dubeck said. A 2023 fiscal year budget request said the office received roughly $2 million from Washington.
Republicans say all that money should be on the chopping block in the wake of the indictment of Mr. Trump on charges stemming from hush money payments in 2016 to porn star Stormy Daniels.
“I am disgusted with District Attorney Bragg’s office. They’ve spent thousands of dollars in federal funds to investigate President Trump and receive millions more in federal grants. Congress should immediately cease funding this weaponized office,” Rep. Andy Biggs, Arizona Republican, said Monday on Twitter.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, Ohio Republican, also raised the prospect of cutting off funding for Mr. Bragg’s office.
“We control the power of the purse and we’re going to look at the appropriations process and limit funds going to some of these agencies, particularly the ones engaged in the most egregious behavior,” he said in an interview with Fox News.
Ms. Dubeck last week defended the use of federal money in the Trump probe, arguing that the $5,000 is a small fraction of the more than $1 billion in asset forfeitures Mr. Bragg’s office secured for the federal government.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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