GOP Rep. Ogles moves to defund salary for special counsel Jack Smith

Tennessee Republican Rep. Andy Ogles has filed a bill to prevent special counsel Jack Smith from receiving a salary from federal funds.

Ogles introduced the bill on Friday, the Washington Examiner reported. GOP Reps. Alex Mooney, W.V., and Eli Crane, Ariz., cosponsored the measure.

The Yanking Outlays for an Unethical, Ruthless Enterprise that Fraudulently Impedes Robust Electoral Debate (You're fired) Act comes as Republicans increasingly line up behind former President Donald Trump due to what they perceive as a political prosecution from Smith.

"The Biden Administration’s weaponization of the DOJ for personal political gain through the appointment of Jack Smith is nothing short of appalling," Ogles said. "In November 2022, he was tasked with taking down Biden’s biggest threat, President Donald J. Trump."

"From falsified indictments to non-existent supporting 'evidence', everything about the proceedings by Smith have screamed desperate," he continued. "America cannot and will not stand for that, and it’s well past time that Congress uses its power of the purse to tell Jack Smith: you're fired."

Smith has brought two separate indictments against the former president stemming from his alleged mishandling of classified materials and his efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election results. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and contended that Smith's indictments are part of a broader political witch hunt.

Other Republicans have floated similar efforts to stifle Smith. Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz in late July announced that he would introduce legislation to defund Smith's prosecutions, though he acknowledged such efforts would never secure the support of President Joe Biden or the Democratic Senate.

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