Former Rep. Gaetz, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, has promised to purge the Justice Department and FBI of anyone who might get in the president’s way. Trump “is going to hit the Department of Justice with a blowtorch — and that torch is Matt Gaetz,” former Trump aide Stephen K. Bannon said last week. AdvertisementThe result would be what one expert called “transformation by intimidation.”Trump has also proposed weakening Congress’ power to direct federal spending — one of the legislative branch’s core functions. He plans to revive the practice of “impounding” funds — blocking agencies from spending money that Congress has appropriated for programs he doesn’t like. A 1974 law made impoundment illegal, but Trump has suggested that he will ignore the prohibition and challenge it in court.

Source: Los Angeles Times November 19, 2024 13:23 UTC