In a bold move Monday, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia announced that she is writing an appropriations rider to defund the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith, including the entire investigation into former President Donald Trump.
The news came via a tweet in which Greene declared, “This morning, I’m writing an appropriations rider to DEFUND Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office and entire investigation. I will not vote for ANY appropriations bill to fund the weaponization of government.” She expressed hope that her Republican colleagues would join her in this endeavor.
This rider, if included in an appropriations bill and passed, would change the allocation of funds such that Smith’s office and investigation would no longer receive funding. However, any rider needs the support of a majority of lawmakers in both the House and Senate to become law, which would be a high hurdle.
The investigation that Greene is seeking to defund was opened by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022. This inquiry continues two investigations initially launched by the Department of Justice (DOJ) into Trump’s activities during his presidency.
Jack Smith, a longtime federal prosecutor, was appointed by Garland to lead these independent probes. Smith’s mission is to investigate Trump’s role in the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol and his handling of government records, including classified documents inside Trump’s home in Mar-a-Lago.
Just days ago, on June 8, a grand jury in Miami, Florida, indicted Trump on 37 felony counts, including charges of willful retention of national security material, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy, linked to his removal and retention of presidential materials from the White House after his term ended.
The announcement is likely to garner at least some momentum among members of the House Republican caucus, adding complexity to what’s already shaping up to be a contentious fight.
Earlier this morning, former President Trump made an announcement stating his intention to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Joe Biden, whom he labeled as “the most corrupt president in the history of the USA.”
Trump’s announcement was made on Truth Social, a platform he has been using to express his views. He also targeted what he referred to as “the entire Biden crime family” and others involved in what he perceives as the destruction of elections, borders, and the country itself.
