‘Accountability Is Here’ for Weaponization of Government: Byron Donalds

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) questions Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young during a House Committee in Washington on March 29, 2022. Rod Lamkey/Pool/Getty Images

The Republican-led House of Representatives will leave no stone unturned in holding federal officials accountable for their abuses of government power, according to Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.).

“What we’ve always committed to is that we’re going to investigate every section of the federal government that warrants it,” Donalds told NTD News, The Epoch Times’ sister outlet, while at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington on March 2.

“Accountability is here,” he added. “Now, what the next steps are—the evidence is going to have to take that.”

Pointing to the Democrats’ treatment of former President Donald Trump as an example, Donalds held that it would be “detrimental to the country” if Republicans began targeting individuals for investigation based on their political preferences rather than the evidence.

“We want the facts speak for themselves,” he said. “So, at the Department of Justice, how was the order given to target parents just trying to advocate for their children’s schooling? What about people who are pro-life advocates who are using their First Amendment rights to assemble and to speak? Why are they being targeted and people being brought up on charges? And then, of course, the thing that we should never forget about—what about the handling of Jan. 6 detainees?”

Reports of the harsh and unfair treatment of those who were arrested for their involvement in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach have concerned many Americans, and have included claims of assault, torture, and the denial of food and proper medical treatment.

Recently, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) gave Fox News host Tucker Carlson exclusive access to thousands of hours of Capitol security footage from Jan. 6, 2021, raising questions about when the public might have access to it.

Donalds revealed that the Capitol Police will need to review the footage to ensure any sensitive security information is removed before that happens.

“But everything else, from my conversations with the speaker, all that footage will be released,” he added.

Other Federal Agencies

In addition to the Justice Department, Donalds contended that officials in almost every other federal agency were overstepping their legal authority as well.

“I’m on Financial Services, one of my new committees,” he noted. “Well, right now at the SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission), we have Gary Gensler, who, in my opinion, has just run amok. He’s using every possible window to expand the reach and scope of the SEC, well past legislative prerogative, well past legislative intent.”

The Epoch Times has contacted the SEC for comment.

But addressing the problem, Donalds added, could be difficult given that those agencies are led by political appointees who can easily be replaced with other political operatives.

“This is the issue that we have—it’s why elections matter,” the congressman said. “It matters because those are the people that are going to sit at the head of these different agencies … and they’re going to play ‘catch me if you can,’ essentially, with the American people’s liberties. … That’s the way they’ve been operating, and we need to put a stop to it.”