Photo: Alamy
President Trump praised the Department of Justice on Wednesday for the dismissal of a case against former Congressman Jeff Fortenberry.
Fortenberry formerly represented Nebraska in the U.S. House of Representatives before resigning last year following a 2022 criminal conviction related to campaign contributions.
Prosecutors alleged Fortenberry lied to the FBI regarding contributions to his campaign from Nigerian billionaire Gilbert Chagoury. The case drew criticism for being politically motivated as well as the use of dubious tactics employed by the FBI.
President Trump commented on the decision by the Department of Justice in a Truth Social post and characterized the case against Fortenberry as further proof of the weaponization of the justice system under the Biden administration.
“It is great to see that the Department of Justice has dropped the Witch Hunt against former Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, a longtime proud and highly respected American public servant,” Trump said. ” Jeff and his family were forced to suffer greatly due to the illegal Weaponization of our Justice System by the Radical Left Democrats.”
Trump pointed out that prosecutors had brought the case against Fortenberry a second time after being overturned by an appellate court.
“Jeff’s ‘case’ was originally overturned by the Ninth Circuit, but the ‘persecutors’ would not leave it alone and, shockingly, indicted him again in Washington, D.C. The charges were totally baseless. That Scam is now over, so Jeff and his family can go back to having a great life together, and be a part of our Country’s future as we MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump said.
Trump ended his statement on a positive note, focusing on optimism for the future of the justice system.
“I am very proud of our Department of Justice, something I have not been able to say for many years!” Trump said.
