House Democrats accuse Trump of trying to ‘steal’ $230M from taxpayers through DOJ
In a bold move, House Democrats have accused former President Donald Trump of attempting to exploit the Department of Justice (DOJ) to secure a significant payout for legal damages he claims to have incurred over the past decade. In a public letter addressed to key DOJ officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Democratic members of the House Judiciary Committee described Trump’s actions as a “blatantly illegal and unconstitutional effort to steal” millions from taxpayers. This controversy stems from reports that Trump is seeking approximately $230 million through an administrative claims process, which typically requires approval from senior DOJ officials. The claims, filed in 2023 and 2024 before he assumed office, have raised serious ethical concerns among lawmakers.
Leading the charge, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and his colleagues warned of severe repercussions if the DOJ were to approve the payments to Trump, including potential civil liability and criminal charges for conspiracy to defraud the United States. The Democrats have demanded transparency regarding Trump’s requests and have indicated that they may pursue further investigations should they regain majority control in Congress. Trump, however, has dismissed the allegations, suggesting that it would be “awfully strange” for him to pay himself. He claims the damages stem from the DOJ’s investigations into alleged collusion with Russia and the inquiries led by Special Counsel Jack Smith. In a somewhat ironic twist, Trump stated that any money he would receive would be donated to charity, prompting Democrats to counter that he should not be allowed to benefit financially from what they perceive as a misuse of power.
The political landscape surrounding this issue has become increasingly contentious, with Republicans accusing Democrats of fixating on Trump rather than addressing pressing issues such as government funding and the welfare of federal workers. A spokesperson for the committee’s Republicans criticized the Democrats for their focus on Trump, arguing that their priorities should align more closely with the needs of constituents facing the consequences of a government shutdown. As the situation unfolds, the potential for a deeper investigation into Trump’s claims and the actions of the DOJ remains a critical point of contention in the ongoing political battle between Democrats and Republicans. This clash not only highlights the contentious nature of Trump’s presidency but also raises important questions about accountability and the ethical boundaries of political power.
Related articles:
– Link 1
– Link 2
House Democrats accused President
Donald Trump
on Monday of attempting to use the Department of Justice to improperly pay himself for legal damages he has incurred over the past decade, and they demanded senior department officials recuse themselves from the matter.
In a public letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and senior official Stanley Woodward, House Judiciary Committee Democrats called the possible payout “a blatantly illegal and unconstitutional effort to steal” millions of dollars from taxpayers.
Trump’s interest in the payout was first reported last week by the
New York Times
, which said Trump began seeking what amounted to $230 million through an administrative claims process that top DOJ officials would typically need to approve. Trump filed the claims in 2023 and 2024, before he took office, according to the report.
The committee Democrats, led by ranking member Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., warned of repercussions for paying Trump and demanded a slate of nonpublic information about Trump’s reported requests, laying the groundwork for a possible future investigation if they were to take the majority and gain subpoena power in a year.
TRUMP SUGGESTS DOJ OWES HIM MONEY FOR PAST CASES
“You could face civil liability, ethics investigations, professional discipline, and potential criminal liability for conspiracy to defraud the United States,” the lawmakers wrote.
They have been among many Democrats, and some Republicans, to scrutinize the president for potentially accepting the lump sum from a department he now runs.
Trump recently addressed the report in the Oval Office, saying “it would be awfully strange” to pay himself. Trump is reportedly seeking payments for damages incurred by the
DOJ’s investigations
into alleged Trump-Russia collusion and former special counsel Jack Smith’s investigations.
“In other words, did you ever have one of those cases where you have to decide how much you’re paying yourself in damages?” Trump said. “But I was damaged very greatly. And any money that I would get, I would give to charity.”
TRUMP, DEMOCRATS LOCKED IN ENDLESS CYCLES OF PAYBACK AFTER COMEY INDICTMENT AND TARGETING PRESIDENT’S ENEMIES
House Democrats countered that Trump “does not get the right to take a bribe or kickback just by promising to give the proceeds to charity.”
They also demanded Blanche and Woodward, who worked on Trump’s legal defense team during his criminal prosecutions, recuse themselves from any decisions about compensating Trump.
Asked for comment, a spokesman for committee
Republicans
accused the Democrats of fixating too much on Trump.
“Democrats should focus on opening the government and paying federal workers, many of whom live in Ranking Member Raskin’s district, rather than obsessing over President Trump who clearly did nothing wrong,” committee spokesman Russell Dye said. “But sadly, their priority will always be attacking President Trump instead of paying the troops, air traffic controllers, and families who are hurting because of the Democrat shutdown.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the DOJ for comment.
Eric
Eric is a seasoned journalist covering US Politics news.
