GOP support to cut DOJ, FBI budget grows amid political woes, says House Appropriator.

Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.), a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that handles the budget for the U.S. Department of Justice, is leading a Republican effort to cut the department’s budget.

Cline, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, revealed that caucus members are urging House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to implement deeper spending cuts, especially in the Justice Department and FBI categories. This comes after reaching a debt limit agreement with President Joe Biden, which many Republicans, particularly in the Freedom Caucus, felt did not go far enough in terms of spending cuts.

“We’re pushing the speaker to go below those levels, cut even deeper, especially in the Justice Department, FBI category,” Cline emphasized in a radio interview with Washington Times reporter Kerry Pickett.

Cline also mentioned that Subcommittee Chair Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) and other key Republicans on the Appropriations Committee are supportive of cutting funding from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI. “Leadership is generally sharing our concerns,” Cline added.

NTD News reached out to Rogers as well as House Appropriations Committee Chair Kay Granger for comment, but there was no response at the time of publishing.

Conservatives See Weaponization in DOJ, FBI

Many conservatives have expressed concerns about the direction of the DOJ and FBI, alleging widespread politicization and even weaponization against conservatives. Recent controversies involving the DOJ include investigations into parents protesting curriculum items and COVID-19 measures at local school board meetings, as well as efforts to infiltrate and surveil alleged radical Catholic congregations.

The FBI has also faced allegations of entrapment in a plot to kidnap Democrat Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the eve of the 2020 election. Two defendants in the alleged kidnapping plot were found not guilty after arguing that FBI agents tried to entrap them.

In addition, the FBI has been accused of slowing down investigations into Biden and his family members. Leaked internal Twitter communications suggest that the FBI sought to discredit negative reporting about Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden. Furthermore, FBI Director Chris Wray refused a subpoena to turn over a document related to a bribery scheme involving the Biden family, only sharing it with lawmakers after Republicans threatened to hold him in contempt of Congress.

Another major concern for conservatives is the DOJ’s treatment of former President Donald Trump. Special Counsel John Durham’s report revealed instances of DOJ and FBI reliance on unvetted sources in the investigation into allegations of collusion between Trump and the Russian government in the 2016 election.

Many prominent Republicans have once again alleged political motivations behind the recent decision by Special Counsel Jack Smith to indict Trump over his handling of classified documents and presidential records after leaving the White House. In fact, both Trump and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chair of the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, have called for defunding the FBI and DOJ.

FBI Headquarters Move on Chopping Block

One major budget request that the FBI could lose out on is a new headquarters. The Biden administration has been advocating for a new FBI headquarters since at least March of last year, but Republicans are increasingly resistant due to concerns about politicization within the DOJ.

“With the abuses that have been going on at the FBI, there’s a real resistance to [a new FBI headquarters],” Cline explained.