Donald Trump’s Indictments Unaffected by Government Shutdown, Republicans Seek Alternative Approach
WASHINGTON – The recent criminal indictments against former President Donald Trump have caused quite a stir among his followers and Republican allies in the House of Representatives. These allies are now attempting to exploit the upcoming government funding deadline in a bid to undermine the ongoing prosecutions.
However, it is important to note that a government shutdown would not halt the criminal proceedings against Trump. His indictments in New York and Georgia would continue unaffected, while his federal indictments for mishandling classified documents and his alleged role in the January 6 insurrection are criminal matters exempt from shutdowns. The Department of Justice has stated that in the event of a shutdown, criminal litigation will persist as an essential activity for the safety of human life and protection of property.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s office, responsible for handling Trump’s cases, is funded separately and would not be impacted by a shutdown. Their funding allocations from previous years allow them to operate independently. Despite this, Republicans are exploring other avenues to hinder federal and state prosecutors pursuing indictments against Trump, arguing that he is being politically targeted without substantial evidence.
Nevertheless, achieving their goals won’t be an easy task for Republicans. The demands made by hard-right Republicans have ignited divisions within the party itself, particularly regarding the scope of law enforcement power. The House GOP has yet to pass two out of the 12 total appropriations measures, suggesting possible splits on how to proceed. Furthermore, with Democrats in control of the Senate and White House, they are pushing back against attempts to interfere with Trump’s legal cases as a form of political maneuvering.
The upcoming negotiations to secure government funding, as Congress returns next week, are overshadowed by this tension. Republican Representative Andrew Clyde of Georgia, a staunch Trump supporter and member of the House Appropriations Committee, has announced his intention to introduce two amendments that would block federal funding for all three prosecutors handling Trump’s cases. Clyde’s amendments aim to prevent their prosecutorial authority from affecting any major presidential candidate prior to the 2024 election.
Similar sentiments are echoed by other Republicans such as Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, who is advocating for defunding special counsel Jack Smith’s office. Gaetz argues that the investigations into Trump are mere witch hunts that should be terminated. Fellow Trump ally Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia is also supporting this initiative. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan of Ohio has openly called on party leaders to introduce provisions into government funding legislation that would change the way the Justice Department utilizes its funding. This includes preventing the department from conducting politically sensitive investigations until non-partisan career staff oversee them.
Republicans are also exploring ways to constrain state prosecutors. Jordan has initiated an investigation into Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who indicted Trump, questioning her motivations and requesting all documents related to her office’s use of federal funds. Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona is proposing legislation to strip taxpayer funding from the Fulton County DA Office, accusing Willis’s team of engaging in politically motivated witch hunts.
It is worth noting that Republicans are divided on whether to leverage the funding process to curtail law enforcement powers. Representative David Joyce of Ohio, an appropriator, views the law enforcement policy demands made by Jordan as mere requests that may not receive prioritization solely because they come from him. Senator Susan Collins of Maine, a Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has voiced strong opposition to defunding the FBI and the Department of Justice while conceding that reforms may be necessary.
Democrats, on the other hand, categorically reject Republican efforts to restrict law enforcement and warn against interference in Trump’s legal battles. House Appropriations Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut condemned proposed cuts to the FBI and U.S. attorneys as baseless attacks on federal law enforcement. She accused the majority party of politicizing the criminal justice system, emphasizing the need for an independent Department of Justice to investigate alleged criminal activity. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both of New York, highlighted a repeated pattern of criminal activity by Trump and called on all parties involved to allow the legal process to proceed without interference.
As Congress prepares to address the issue of government funding and Trump’s legal challenges, the divide between Republicans and Democrats remains apparent. It remains to be seen how the negotiations will unfold and what impact they’ll have on Trump’s indictments and the broader political landscape.
