CNN justice correspondent Jessica Schneider told CNN on Tuesday that federal courts will begin running out of money on Friday thanks to President Donald Trump’s government shutdown — and that could include special counsel Robert Mueller’s grand jury.
Schneider said the FBI was already feeling the pinch, as unpaid agents and support staff alike were relying on the help of food banks to get by. The FBI Agents Association, she said, would be releasing a 70-page report that will describe “how the government shutdown is impacting daily operations and investigations.”
“We are also watching for another shoe to drop with this shutdown: the courts,” Schneider said. “The judiciary [is] warning that if the government doesn’t re-open by Friday, funding will be even more significantly impacted and additional court-related payments could be shut off.”
“The courts are warning really that funding could run out. They say the trials will still be going but they have already had to cut back on payments to jurors,” she continued. “Interestingly, that could impact the grand jurors who are seated for the Robert Mueller probe.”
“I hadn’t even thought about that,” replied host Poppy Harlow, looking worried. “This is uncharted territory.”
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