GOP Congressman Seeks to Cut Federal Funding For Candidate Prosecutions

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) (L) talks to Rep.-elect Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) in the House Chamber during the third day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on Jan. 5, 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) wants to stop federal money being used for the prosecution of major presidential candidates before elections—such as former President Donald Trump.

To prevent the funds being used Mr. Clyde—a new, conservative member of the House Appropriations Committee—is working on two amendments to the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2024.

President Trump is facing prosecution in Florida, Georgia, New York, and the District of Columbia.

Most recently, in Georgia, the former president was charged with more than a dozen crimes in connection with his actions regarding the 2020 presidential election. He was forced to surrender to the Fulton County jail for booking.

Many Republicans believe the prosecution of President Trump is politically motivated due in part to his 2024 presidential campaign.

If passed, Mr. Clyde’s Amendment 1 would bar federal funds from being used to support prosecutions, while Amendment 2 would do the same for state prosecutions.

“Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars have no place funding the radical Left’s nefarious election interference efforts,” Mr. Clyde said, according to a press release from his office.

“Together, Jack Smith, Alvin Bragg, and Fani Willis intentionally brought four sham indictments against the sitting president’s top political opponent, President Donald J. Trump, as the upcoming 2024 presidential election ramps up.

“These bogus charges are undoubtedly intended to smear and take down President Trump, as well as hinder his ability to campaign effectively.

“This overt election interference continues to undermine both our Republic and our fair system of justice.”

Concerns About Prosecution

“The American people get to decide who wins the White House—not Deep State actors who have shamelessly attacked Donald Trump since he announced his first bid in 2015,” Mr. Clyde stated.

“It is imperative that Congress use its power of the purse to protect the integrity of our elections, restore Americans’ faith in our government, and dismantle our nation’s two-tiered system of justice.

“I’m fully committed to helping lead this effort, and I call on my House Appropriations colleagues to join me in this righteous fight.”

Additionally, House Republicans have launched an investigation into the Georgia prosecution of President Trump, citing significant concerns regarding the case’s impact on the government and political process.

In a five-page letter dated Aug. 24, the House Judiciary Committee requests that the district attorney for Fulton County, Fani Willis, produce documents addressing these concerns by Sept. 7.

The letter was dispatched the same day the former president surrendered at the Fulton County Jail and was booked on 13 charges where he and 18 others are co-defendants in an alleged “conspiracy” under Georgia’s racketeering law.

In a letter to Ms. Willis, a Democrat, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) objects to the circumstances surrounding the publication of the indictment against the Republican president.

Mr. Jordan observed in the letter that multiple counts of the indictment “seek to criminalize” the actions of federal officials under Georgia law, such as “the White House chief of staff arranging meetings and phone calls for the president.”

He cited another example of an act furthering the alleged conspiracy: “The then-president tweeting that hearings in the Georgia Legislature were being aired on a news channel.”

Democrat Response

Many Democrats have been outspoken in their support of the charges against the former president, even chiding Republicans who support their former party leader.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, offered a statement in June following President Trump’s Florida indictment by a Miami grand jury, saying: “No one is above the law.

“And these federal charges arising from an investigation led by an independent special counsel remind us of that bedrock principle,” said Coons.

“As with anybody facing criminal charges, the former president is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the opportunity to defend himself, and appropriate due process.”

Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) took aim at Republicans for defending the former president after he was indicted in Florida for his handling of classified documents, saying: “The house Republican conference is in shambles,” during a June 13 press conference following the indictment.

“They’ve barely gained control of the floor, and we head into a week, and they jump head first into defending the corrupt leader of their party.”

Several members of the Democrats welcomed Special Counsel Jack Smith’s indictment targeting disputes over the 2020 election, saying the Jan. 6 indictments were the most important charges against President Trump to date.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) jointly issued a statement reacting to the charges on Aug. 1, saying: “The insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021, was one of the saddest and most infamous days in American history, personally orchestrated by Donald Trump and fueled by his insidious Big Lie in an attempt to undermine the 2020 election.”

The two lawmakers added: “This indictment is the most serious and most consequential thus far and will stand as a stark reminder to generations of Americans that no one, including a president of the United States, is above the law.

“The legal process must continue to move forward without any outside interference.”

The office of Mr. Jeffries did not immediately respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment on Mr. Clyde’s announcement.

Janice Hisle and Caden Pearson contributed to this report.