By Zachary Stieber
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on March 18 ordered Republicans to investigate whether federal funds were used in the reported looming indictment against former President Donald Trump.
âHere we go againâan outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance against President Trump,â McCarthy said in a statement after Trump said it looks like he will be arrested soon for an alleged misclassification of a payment.
âIâm directing relevant committees to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated prosecutions,â McCarthy added.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chairman of the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, shared McCarthyâs statement on social media, as did the GOP House Judiciary Committee account.
âDonât worry, Liberal DAâs are working just as hard to indict actual criminals in Democrat-run cities. Just kidding. Itâs all politics,â the latter posted.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) cited one of the Federalist Papers, which says: âThis power over the purse may, in fact, be regarded as the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people.â
âHow much federal funding does the Manhattan DAâs office get?â Roy wondered.
Possible Indictment
The indictment against Trump, a Republican, is said to be coming from the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.
Braggâs office on Saturday acknowledged receipt of questions about the possible indictment but did not answer them.
According to media reports, the indictment would come over a payment made to Stormy Daniels, who has claimed Trump had an affair with her. The payment was apparently not classified properly.
Trump said the allegations are âfully debunkedâ and a spokesperson told Fox News that Trump is âcompletely innocent.â
As speaker, McCarthy leads the Republicans in the House. The GOP flipped control of the lower chamber in the 2022 midterms after earning more votes than Democrats in key districts in multiple states, including New York.
New York City, though, remains under tight Democrat control.
Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.), who served as the top lawyer in the second effort to impeach Trump, in 2022âTrump was acquitted by the Senateâcriticized McCarthyâs remarks.
âSpeaker of the House of Representatives who has no idea what evidence the state DA has in support of grand jury indictment seeks to âweaponizeâ the federal government to undermine the rule of law for political purposes,â Goldman said in a statement.
âNo one is above the law,â Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) added.
Republicans, though, appeared to be unified behind the announcement.
âSpeaker McCarthy proves again that through his leadership House GOP will not tolerate the Democratâs weaponization of government and political persecution in the taxpayerâs dime,â Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said. âThe government serves the people NOT the Democrat Party.â