FBI Compared to 'Sodom and Gomorrah' by Louie Gohmert in House Bill Debate

Texas GOP Representative Louie Gohmert referred to the FBI as "Sodom and Gomorrah" in a debate on the House floor Thursday over a bill that would increase resources to antitrust agencies to better oversee Big Tech companies.

The bill, known as the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act, updates the filing fees that merging companies pay to law enforcement to review their transactions. Defenders of the bill—including chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Representative Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat—argue that increasing the amount paid for large mergers will provide more resources to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to meet an increased workload demand since the growth of large tech companies.

Gohmert—who serves on the Judiciary Committee—argued against increasing resources to the DOJ and FBI, alleging to have received several complaints from "whistleblowers" about widespread sexual misconduct in the department.

"It sounds like Sodom and Gomorrah up there," Gohmert said. "We've got complaints this week about the sexual harassment, about sexual improprieties on the top floor, the seventh floor where the headquarters is, of the FBI and all the favors and all the intimidation that goes along with sexual improprieties."

The Texas Republican's biblical reference featured the two cities that God destroyed in the book of Genesis due to the sins of their residents, including numerous sexually deviant acts.

Gohmert was supported by Ohio GOP Representative Jim Jordan, who spoke before Gohmert and warned against giving money to a department that has committed "egregious actions over the last several months."

"This money is going to wind up in the DOJ and FTC, and we know their track record and how they've been treating the American citizen," Jordan added.

Gohmert and Jordan have been critical of the FBI's search of former President Donald Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago, which Gohmert referred to as a "third-world politics raid" in a press release last month.

"This is an absolutely incredible move by the DOJ to pursue, harass and now invade the former President's home, who had authority to declassify documents," Gohmert wrote in the release.

Gohmert has also argued that "January 6 prisoners"—those who have been charged in last year's siege on the U.S. Capitol—have been mistreated by law enforcement and called the DOJ under President Joe Biden a "threat to our democracy."

Despite Gohmert and Jordan's opposition, the merger act passed in the House Thursday by a 242-184 vote, reported CNBC. A version of the bill was also passed by the Senate in June 2021.

On Thursday, Nadler responded briefly to Gohmert and Jordan's accusations on the House floor, saying that after listening to the arguments, he is "really amazed that every single Republican senator voted for this legislation."

Newsweek has reached out to Gohmert for comment.