‘Shameful’: MAGA 'outraged' as NY moves to cover Trump prosecutor's legal bills

A new provision in New York’s state budget has drawn MAGA backlash for what supporters of President Donald Trump are calling a “slush fund” to aid New York Attorney General Letitia James by covering her legal expenses.

The budget line sets aside funds for state employees facing prosecution for doing their jobs – a move that appears connected to Trump’s escalating legal retribution against those involved in his past criminal prosecutions, according to the Gothamist. The new reporting came a day after the Trump Justice Department launched a criminal probe against James, who famously won a $454 fraud judgment against the president and his real estate company.

MAGA Republicans quickly pounced on the budget line to accuse Democrats of corruption and excess.

“I can’t imagine a majority of New Yorkers not being outraged that their hard-earned dollars that go to the government are now being used — or can be used — to pay for private attorneys to defend public officials against charges of crimes that they committed, having nothing to do with their elected position,” Republican state Sen. Andrew Lanza told the Gothamist Friday.

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Rep. Elise Stefanik also slammed the inclusion of the item in the budget as “shameful” and called it a “taxpayer-funded slush fund” meant to defend James.

“Letitia James, who illegally weaponized her office to pursue politically motivated witch hunts, now expects taxpayers to foot the bill for her alleged misconduct,” she wrote in a statement.

The New York Post's conservative editorial board and New York Republican state committee chairman also hopped on to denounce the budget provision.

But supporters argue the move serves a vital purpose.

“When someone is subject to investigations because of things they did officially that are now the subject of retaliation, we believe that should be covered,” State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris said during the Senate debate on the state budget, according to the Gothamist.