By Steve Neavling
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer said Tuesday that he plans to introduce a resolution next week that condemns former President Trump’s call to “defund” the FBI and Justice Department.
The resolution would force Republicans to either show allegiance to Trump or support two agencies that are tasked with combating terrorism, mafia violence, fraud, child pornography and other serious crimes.
In a “dear colleague” letter to senators in both parties, Schumer criticizes Trump’s call to defund the federal law enforcement agencies as “a baseless, self-serving broadside against the men and women who keep our nation safe.”
“Senators from across the political spectrum and of both political parties should denounce such attempts by the former President and his allies to degrade public trust in our federal law enforcement agencies,” the letter reads. “The Senate must recommit that the United States is a nation of laws. As a free people, we rely on the necessary and professional work of our federal law enforcement agencies to promote safety and general welfare of our country.”
Trump called on Republican lawmakers to “defund” the FBI and DOJ after he was arraigned on 34 counts of falsifying business records.
A Pew poll shows Americans have a favorable view of the FBI.
So far, only a few Republicans, including House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Oh., have expressed support for defunding the FBI and DOJ.
Schumer said he plans to introduce the resolution when the House returns from its break next week.
“The former President and his allies in Congress must not subjugate justice and public safety because of their own personal grievances,” Schumer said in the letter.
