At a budget hearing, Sen. Chris Van Hollen tells the Justice Department official in front of him that the department is using taxpayer money to "punish Trump's adversaries, reward his friends." He points to the pardons of January 6th rioters, the firing of more than a dozen lawyers who worked those cases, and what he calls a $1.8 billion "slush fund" for the President's supporters, including people who attacked the Capitol.
The receipt
- Who
- Chris Van Hollen
- Where
- hearing - Senate Appropriations subcommittee
- Original footage
- Capitol Clips · watch the full video from this moment
- Length
- 58 seconds, unedited within the cut
- Plays
- 149 on Instagram
Read the transcript
Two days ago, you even suggested that there was, quote, a ton of evidence that the 2020 election was rigged against Trump. And here you are at a budget hearing asking for taxpayer funds to pursue the department's mission when you're using those funds to punish Trump's adversaries, reward his friends, and pursue his personal vendettas. It began with pardoning the rioters who stormed the Capitol on January 6th and assaulted police officers. The revenge continued with the firing of more than a dozen lawyers who represented the Justice Department in those cases. Yesterday, you created a $1 .8 billion slush fund to dole out taxpayer dollars to the President's supporters, including those who attacked this capital on January 6th. That is pure theft of public funds. and rewarding individuals who committed crimes is obscene.
Machine transcript of the clip's audio; names are checked, small words may differ.