The House Oversight Committee held a hearing Thursday with governors of sanctuary states, and—unsurprisingly—Republican members quickly descended the meeting into chaos, repeatedly calling for the prosecution of the governors testifying.
First up was GOP Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama, who accused governors who provide sanctuary to asylum seekers of obstructing the federal government, saying that they should face criminal charges.
“You are engaged in operations against the federal government’s attempts to enforce federal law,” Palmer said in an exchange with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. “And charges for obstruction should be brought against each one of you for doing this.”
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York immediately objected.
“Raising the prospect of charges against witnesses is a form of intimidation. Is it not?” she said.
Not to be outdone, GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia emerged from whatever cauldron of bigotry she bathes in to accuse Hochul of being responsible for the murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley in 2024, leading to the passage of the Laken Riley Act.
“And the Department of Justice should prosecute you for her murder,” Greene said while holding a photo of Riley.
Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts quickly objected to the inflammatory claim, setting off a clash with Greene and Chairman James Comer.
Things continued to unravel when Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida asked whether the committee would subpoena Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for her department’s manhandling of Sen. Alex Padilla of California during a press conference earlier in the day.
Comer responded by telling Frost to “shut up,” while Greene began shouting and accusing Frost of having been a member of Antifa.
“Who's a former Antifa member, me?” Frost asked.
“Yeah, you,” Greene said with her usual smug ignorance.
A motion to strike Greene’s false statement led to a break, and, according to reporter Dave Weigel, Greene then revised her statement.
“Congressman Frost was arrested at a voting rights rally,” she said.
“Proudly,” Frost shot back.
With President Donald Trump’s unpopular military occupation of Los Angeles and open threats against free speech, the GOP continues to defend increasingly authoritarian actions, employing reckless ignorance and showing little regard for democracy.
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