House GOP may hold up new FBI headquarters over weaponization concerns, key lawmaker warns

Louisiana GOP Rep. Mike Johnson says that Republicans may consider using the power of the purse on federal agencies such as the FBI if they don't follow the Constitution. 

"The FBI...they have their eye on a really fancy, very expensive new headquarters," Johnson said on the Monday edition of the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show. "Well you know, do they deserve that if they can't follow the basic tenets of the Constitution? I'm not sure that Congress should empower that."

The GOP-led House has been very critical of federal agencies, including the FBI, for rampant politicization and Republicans have led many hearings on federal oversight since having the majority. 

"On Tuesday of last week, we set an record, all-time, in Congress," Johnson stated. "We had 42 hearings in the House in one day. Most of those were devoted to oversight. So this is going to continue."

Other federal agencies that have been accused of rampant politicization include the IRS. According to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, an IRS agent went to the home of independent journalist Matt Taibbi and attempted to intimidate him after he testified before the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government on the topic of censorship.

"It's an intimidation tactic," said Johnson. "What we've seen now, particularly over the last two years, and we know this to be objectively true, is that some of the agencies that were designed to serve and protect the American people have been weaponized and used against them."