'Almost speechless': Trump's massive DOJ demand stuns ex-Republican lawmaker

Former Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA) expressed his astonishment on Tuesday regarding President Donald Trump's recent demand for over $230 million from his Department of Justice over the dismissed Russiagate investigation and other cases.

On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that Trump may ask the Justice Department to pay him about $230 million, adding that the settlement may be approved by "senior department officials who defended him or those in his orbit." Trump's former defense attorney, Todd Blanche, is currently the deputy attorney general, and other Trump defense lawyers are scattered throughout the government.

Dent discussed Trump's requested payment on CNN's "The Lead" with host Jake Tapper on Tuesday.

"I'm almost speechlessthat the President of the United States is asking that taxpayerspay him nearly a quarter billiondollars for legal fees," Dent told Tapper. "We weretalking earlier. Maybe Jim Comeyis going to ask to be paid, too, after his case gets tossed, andevery other person who's everbeen prosecuted by DOJ and wasnot convicted might ask for thesame thing."

"It just takes alot of cheek to ask the peoplewho work for you to approve aquarter-billion-dollar paymentto the president," he continued.