Even MAGA senators at a loss as Capitol Hill digests Trump's $230m DOJ demand
WASHINGTON — Even some Republican members of Congress are growing nervous about President Donald Trump's $230 million demand from the Justice Department, Raw Story discovered.
On Thursday, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) was among lawmakers who bothered coming to work during the government shutdown.
Asked for her views on Trump's hugely controversial claim that he should be compensated for being the subject of DOJ investigations into Russian election interference and his retention of classified information after leaving office, Moore Capito paused.
"I don't know that I've ever heard anybody being paid by the federal government for investigations into them," the senator confessed.
"I understand his frustration with it, but I don't think it's going to happen."
Moore Capito noted that there are likely a lot of people in the same position as Trump who wish they could do the same thing.
Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, for example, faced DOJ investigations into the use of private email for official business (Clinton) and retention of classified information (Biden) but were not offered settlements by the Justice Department.
Other Republicans preferred to dodge the issue.
Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) told Raw Story, "I'm not focused on that. I'm really not focused on that."
She then laughed, adding: "You ask me questions I really don't care about."
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-IA) said: "I don't have an opinion on it."
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) complained that his phone was identified by investigators as a number Trump kept calling in the days leading up to Jan. 6, 2021— the day Trump encouraged a mob of his supporters to “fight like hell” before sending them to the U.S. Capitol where hundreds attempted to block certification of Biden's conclusive victory in the 2020 presidential election.
When Raw Story asked if Hawley would be requesting a couple of million dollars for his trouble, Sen. Hawley said it would be "from the phone companies" if he sued.
"On money, we have civil damages in our court system," he said. "And the president knows how to use the court system."
Hawley joked that Trump could sue former FBI Director James Comey instead.
Trump already demanded that the DOJ indict Comey, who was then charged in the Eastern District of Virginia, for allegedly lying to Congress.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) agreed with the president that the Justice Department had been "mean" to him. However, Scott said the DOJ should only fork over the money Trump wants if Trump wins in court.
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), a reliable backer of the President, said the taxpayer dollars in question already belonged to Trump.
"It's not taxpayer funds, it's his funds," Tuberville, who is now running for governor in Alabama, told Raw Story when asked if Trump should get a payout from the government.
The decision on whether Trump will get his compensation lies with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche — formerly Trump's criminal defense attorney.
On Thursday, CBS News reported the ranking Democrats on both the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees have asked the White House to turn over copies of Trump's claims for DOJ compensation.
Trump’s not constitutionally eligible for such payments, Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Robert Garcia (D-CA) wrote.
"The Founders feared presidents like you might one day be tempted to use their powers to steal U.S. taxpayer funds,” their letter said. “That's why they enshrined a very simple rule into the Constitution, which is called the Domestic Emoluments Clause.
“As President, you may not receive any payment from the federal government or any of the states, except for your salary, which is currently fixed by law at $400,000 per year."
Trump filed the claims before returning to the White House in January.
Back in the Senate on Thursday, Democrats were swift to condemn Trump's claims.
"He's corrupt. He will continue to be corrupt. We should not be surprised. He will do corrupt actions," Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) told Raw Story of Trump and his demand for $230m.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, called Trump's move a "terrible ethical violation."
The senior Democrat went on to tease exclusively to Raw Story that something more about the matter would come "tomorrow."