Republicans look to slash $1 billion in FBI funding amid politicization concerns

Republicans on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies on Friday advanced legislation to reduce funding for the FBI by $1 billion.

The committee advanced the 9% budget cut in a party line vote, the Washington Examiner reported. The bureau's 2024 budget would fall from $11.3 billion in 2023 to $10.3 billion under the plan.

It would further require the FBI to conduct politically sensitive investigations under the oversight of a bipartisan group of Department of Justice staff while also forbidding the bureau from withholding the salaries of its whistleblowers.

The development follows a tumultuous hearing this week in which Republicans grilled FBI Director Christopher Wray over myriad scandals involving the bureau, including allegations of political bias and retaliation against the whistleblowers who have alleged it.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.