In today's House subcommittee hearing on the DOJ Budget, AG Barr was not just on the defensive about the Mueller report. Some people actually focused on the budget.
April 9, 2019

This will shock exactly no one, but the Trump administration doesn't give a flying f*ck about women and minorities and kids. Exhibit 9,388 arrives in the form of the Department of Justice budget, which AG William Barr attempted to defend before a budget subcommitee in the House this morning.

There was a good deal of time devoted to discussing the Mueller report, and Barr's pathetic summary of said report. To be sure, there is lots of news to be made on that front. But here, I'd like to highlight the fact that our gal who reminds me so much of my grandmother it hurts in a nice way to look at her, Rep. Nita Lowey, hauled Barr's @ss on the carpet about the following cuts:

  • The COPS Program - I mean, why foster a more beneficial relationship between the police and the community they are supposed to protect? Why should the alleged "law and order" president pay attention to studies that show community policing, preventative-oriented policing is what truly reduces crime?
  • The DNA Initiative Program - Just, you know, the money that helps provide DNA evidence to prosecute rapists so that they cannot commit more crimes. Processing the rape kits for which rape victims have already gone through additional hell to provide, so that their rapists might be caught and prosecuted. Yeah, those monies are slashed.

So, thanks, Rep. Lowey, for continuing to shine a light on all the other cruelty this sham of an administration aims to perpetrate through its budget cuts. They say they care about reducing crime. They're full of it.

REP. LOWEY: Now, to your FY budget 20 requests. The request provides a significant increase for immigration judges, and a modest increase for most federal law enforcement. However, it either eliminates or significantly cuts respected grant programs at the Department of Justice that really make a difference in our constituents' daily lives. For example, your request significantly decreases essential programs, including the COPS program, which advances community policing on a state and local level would be cut by $205 million. The DNA Initiative program, which provides grants to reduce the rape kit backlog by ensuring evidence that could lead to meaningful convictions does not sit on forgotten shelves, and that would be cut by $25 million. And the Juvenile Justice program, which helps prevent youth crime, violence and reduce recidivism, which would be cut by $48.5 million. These are simply unacceptable reductions. I look forward to a productive discussion today. Hope you can shed some light on how this budget request can adequately respond to the grave tasks the Department of Justice and its grant programs undertake daily.

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