Republican eyes DOJ budget to block Obama gun orders

A powerful House Republican is threatening to block President Obama’s executive order on guns by defunding the Department of Justice (DOJ).

In a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas), chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Justice Department, warned against enforcing the new gun restrictions.

“The next twelve months will be an especially dangerous time for Americans who treasure our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms,” Culberson said.

{mosads}”I have formally notified Attorney General Lynch that I will aggressively protect our Second Amendment rights using Congress’ power of the purse,” he added. “I notified the attorney general that if the Department of Justice attempted to create new restrictions on our Constitutional rights that I would use every tool at my disposal to immediately restrict their access to federal funding.”

Culberson appears to be the first Republican to call to block DOJ funding over the executive action on guns.

In future budget agreements, House appropriators could specifically prohibit the Justice Department from enforcing the gun restrictions without defunding the entire agency. 

Culberson warned Lynch not to “create new law” in his letter.

“The House Appropriations Committee will not provide resources to your department for the development or implementation of unlawful limitations on the unambiguous Second Amendment rights of Americans,” Culberson wrote.

Culberson’s letter follows harsh words that Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) had for the Obama administration earlier Monday.

He accused Obama of “subverting” Congress by taking executive action on gun control.

“We all are pained by the recent atrocities in our country, but no change the president is reportedly considering would have prevented them,” Ryan said.