Jim Jordan Is Cool With Defunding the Police — as Long as it’s the FBI and DOJ
Republicans love to claim they are the “party of law and order,” and many in the GOP made a big stink when progressives called to defund the police following multiple police shootings of unarmed Black Americans. But some Republicans’ loyalty to cops only lasts until law enforcement does something they don’t like — such as investigating Donald Trump. Then they’re all for defunding the police. Take, for example, Rep. Jim Jordan, who on Sunday endorsed defunding the FBI and Department of Justice.
During an appearance on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo, Jordan proposed that Republicans reduce the amount of funding going to federal agencies that do things he doesn’t like, such as investigating former president Donald Trump.
“We control the power of the purse… We’re gonna have to look at the appropriations process and limit funds going to some of these agencies, particularly the ones engaging in the most egregious behavior,” Jordan said.
“So the DOJ and the FBI?” Bartiromo asked.
“Yeah,” Jordan answered. “And what I’d really like, frankly, I’d really like for the government to stay out of the election process.”
Jordan went on to accuse federal law enforcement of “spying” on Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and tried to paint the former president as an innocent victim being pursued for purely political reasons. Jordan is not alone in his fantasies of defunding the FBI and DOJ. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has also advocated for “defunding some of these bad agencies — the FBI, the DOJ” while Matt Gaetz wants to both “defund and get rid of” certain agencies, including “the FBI, the CDC, ATF, DOJ, every last one of them if they do not come to heel.”
But Jordan’s recent push to defund federal law enforcement appears to be at odds with his criticism of local governments that have reduced funding to police. “We shouldn’t have this whole attitude about defund the police,” Jordan said in January. “That’s a problem when you’re trying to attract the best to protect our communities.”