U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01) has launched a legislative bid to defund the Special Counsel’s Office, currently headed by John “Jack” L. Smith.
The move comes amid claims that the Office has become overly politicized and lacks transparency, particularly regarding an ongoing investigation targeting former President Donald J. Trump.
In a press release published Wednesday, Gaetz stated, “The government is being weaponized to go after President Donald J. Trump. The House of Representatives must defund Jack Smith’s office and end the witch hunt.”
Gaetz’s proposed bill, if passed, would prohibit any federal funding, including monies authorized, appropriated by federal law, or held in any federal trust fund, from being utilized to support Special Counsel Smith’s office and its ongoing investigation.
Gaetz’s offensive against the Special Counsel’s Office comes in response to an announcement made on July 18th, 2023, by former President Trump.
Trump confirmed that he is the subject of an investigation by Special Counsel Smith, believed to be in connection with the events of January 6th.
Gaetz and his supporters argue that this action by Smith’s office amounts to election interference, given Trump’s status as the leading contender in the 2024 Republican primary for president, according to recent public polls.
“The power of the purse is not some intermittent thing that we wield every fiscal cycle,” Gaetz stated in the press release. “It’s something that we have to wield day in and day out to achieve victory for our people and to stop this.”
In addition to allegations of politicization, Gaetz has criticized the Special Counsel’s office for what he perceives as a lack of transparency.
His office has reported that repeated requests for specific documents relating to Smith’s staff and the ongoing investigation have been ignored.
“I’m under no illusion that the Democrats will bring such legislation up in the Senate,” Gaetz admitted, emphasizing that he believes the American people “deserve to know where members of Congress stand.”
You can read the bill here:
