Insults fly as blue-state governors battle GOP at feisty hearing

Sparks flew Thursday arsenic a trio of Democratic governors clashed with Republicans connected the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee implicit migration policy.

The astir eight-hour proceeding with Democratic Govs. Kathy Hochul of New York, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Tim Walz of Minnesota connected sanctuary states was scheduled past month, but gained adjacent much prominence this week amid unrest successful Los Angeles implicit President Trump’s deportation efforts.

Each politician faced questions astir their stances connected moving with the national authorities connected immigration, but authorities overshadowed overmuch of the hearing.

Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.), for example, archetypal asked Walz, the vice statesmanlike campaigner for Democrats past year, if helium had spoken to Democratic statesmanlike nominee and erstwhile Vice President Kamala Harris astir erstwhile President Biden’s cognitive diminution during past year’s statesmanlike election. 

“No, not that I tin recall,” Walz responded. “As politician and being connected the ticket, I was astir apt much acrophobic with my ain statement performance.”

A fig of House Republicans deed Walz implicit his comments past period referring to national instrumentality enforcement agents carrying retired Trump’s migration crackdown arsenic the “modern-day Gestapo.”

New York’s gubernatorial predetermination took halfway signifier aboriginal connected aft Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who is considering a tally for governor, appeared astatine the dais successful her capableness arsenic a subordinate of House Republican leadership. 

“This is Kathy Hochul’s New York. It’s 1 of the galore reasons wherefore you’re hemorrhaging enactment from hardworking New York families,” Stefanik said, citing a fig of caller crimes committed by those who were successful the state without authorization, including the burning of a pistillate connected the New York City subway past year.

“We deserved a politician who stands up for New Yorkers, who doesn’t enactment illegals archetypal but really puts New Yorkers first,” she continued.

Hochul repeatedly told Stefanik she condemns the “horrific” crimes Stefanik cited, but deed backmost astatine the congresswoman. 

“Rather than you going aft the viral moment, I suggest you look astatine the facts,” the politician said. 

Like Stefanik, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who is besides mulling a gubernatorial bid, went head-to-head with Hochul. 

“Frankly, New York is amended disconnected with you down present and not successful the state,” Lawler told Hochul. 

“I don’t deliberation it’s amended disconnected with you here,” Hochul deed back. 

The New York politician did onshore her ain zinger astatine the proceeding aft she was asked by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) if she was “a proud, registered Democrat.”

“Yes, is that amerciable successful your country?” Hochul responded, eliciting immoderate gasps successful the proceeding room. 

The 3rd Democratic politician astatine the hearing, Pritzker, besides faced his stock of adversarial questioning. Like Walz, Pritzker is wide seen arsenic a imaginable Democratic statesmanlike campaigner successful 2028.

His astir heated speech arguably took spot with Illinois Rep. Mary Miller (R ), who accused Pritzker of “tying the hands of Illinois instrumentality enforcement.” 

“You cognize Congresswoman Miller, I’m not going to beryllium lectured to by idiosyncratic who extols the virtues of Adolf Hitler,” Pritzker said, referring to Miller’s past remarks successful which she said Hitler was close astir “the worth of influencing a nation’s youth.” Miller apologized for the 2021 remarks. 

At 1 point, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) questioned Pritzker implicit whether helium agreed with “allowing men successful women’s restrooms” and whether helium “supports Hamas’s agenda.”

“So you’re admitting that this is conscionable a governmental circus?” Pritzker responded. “This has thing to bash with migration and [is] truly astir you grandstanding.” 

It was not conscionable the 3 Democratic governors who clashed with lawmakers during the hearing.

It besides devolved into a shouting lucifer aft Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) called connected the committee to subpoena Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem aft quality broke that Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was thrown retired of a property league she held earlier successful Los Angeles. 

“We request to subpoena Secretary Noem,” Frost said arsenic Comer repeatedly said helium was recognizing Greene to speak.

“Democrats can’t travel the rules. Can’t travel up,” Greene said arsenic Comer told Frost helium was retired of order.

Amid the shouting, Comer looked toward Frost and said, “Will you conscionable unopen up?”

“No, you’re not going to archer maine to unopen up,” Frost fired back.

The stakes were not lone precocious for the 3 Democratic governors. Thursday’s proceeding could arguably beryllium seen arsenic an audition for galore of the committee’s members up of the predetermination for the its ranking subordinate position. 

Democratic Reps. Stephen Lynch (Mass.), Jasmine Crockett (Texas) and Kweisi Mfume (Md.) are each moving for ranking member, portion Republican Reps. Byron Donalds (Fla.) and Andy Biggs (Ariz.) are each moving for politician successful their respective states. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) is moving for Senate, and Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Greene are mulling gubernatorial bids.