Sparks flew Thursday as a trio of Democratic governors clashed with Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee over immigration policy.
The nearly eight-hour hearing with Democratic Govs. Kathy Hochul of New York, JB Pritzker of Illinois, and Tim Walz of Minnesota on sanctuary states was scheduled last month, but gained even more prominence this week amid unrest in Los Angeles over President Trump's deportation efforts.
Each governor faced questions about their stances on working with the federal government on immigration, but politics overshadowed much of the hearing.
Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.), for example, first asked Walz, the vice presidential candidate for Democrats last year, if he had spoken to Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Kamala Harris about former President Biden’s cognitive decline during last year’s presidential election.
“No, not that I can recall,” Walz responded. “As governor and being on the ticket, I was probably more concerned with my own debate performance.”
A number of House Republicans hit Walz over his comments last month referring to federal law enforcement agents carrying out Trump’s immigration crackdown as the “modern-day Gestapo.”
New York’s gubernatorial election took center stage early on after Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), who is considering a run for governor, appeared at the dais in her capacity as a member of House Republican leadership.
“This is Kathy Hochul’s New York. It’s one of the many reasons why you’re hemorrhaging support from hardworking New York families,” Stefanik said, citing a number of recent crimes committed by those who were in the country without authorization, including the burning of a woman on the New York City subway last year.
“We deserved a governor who stands up for New Yorkers, who doesn’t put illegals first but actually puts New Yorkers first,” she continued.
Hochul repeatedly told Stefanik she condemns the “horrific” crimes Stefanik cited, but hit back at the congresswoman.
“Rather than you going after the viral moment, I suggest you look at the facts,” the governor said.
Like Stefanik, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), who is also mulling a gubernatorial bid, went head-to-head with Hochul.
“Frankly, New York is better off with you down here and not in the state,” Lawler told Hochul.
“I don’t think it’s better off with you here,” Hochul hit back.
The New York governor did land her own zinger at the hearing after she was asked by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) if she was “a proud, registered Democrat.”
“Yes, is that illegal in your country?” Hochul responded, eliciting some gasps in the hearing room.
The third Democratic governor at the hearing, Pritzker, also faced his share of adversarial questioning. Like Walz, Pritzker is widely seen as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2028.
His most heated exchange arguably took place with Illinois Rep. Mary Miller (R ), who accused Pritzker of “tying the hands of Illinois law enforcement.”
“You know Congresswoman Miller, I’m not going to be lectured to by someone who extols the virtues of Adolf Hitler,” Pritzker said, referring to Miller’s past remarks in which she said Hitler was right about “the value of influencing a nation’s youth.” Miller apologized for the 2021 remarks.
At one point, Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) questioned Pritzker over whether he agreed with “allowing men in women’s restrooms” and whether he “supports Hamas’s agenda.”
“So you’re admitting that this is just a political circus?” Pritzker responded. “This has nothing to do with immigration and [is] really about you grandstanding.”
It was not just the three Democratic governors who clashed with lawmakers during the hearing.
It also devolved into a shouting match after Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) called on the committee to subpoena Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after news broke that Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was thrown out of a press conference she held earlier in Los Angeles.
“We need to subpoena Secretary Noem,” Frost said as Comer repeatedly said he was recognizing Greene to speak.
“Democrats can’t follow the rules. Can’t follow up,” Greene said as Comer told Frost he was out of order.
Amid the shouting, Comer looked toward Frost and said, “Will you just shut up?”
“No, you’re not going to tell me to shut up,” Frost fired back.
The stakes were not only high for the three Democratic governors. Thursday’s hearing could arguably be seen as an audition for many of the committee’s members ahead of the election for the its ranking member position.
Democratic Reps. Stephen Lynch (Mass.), Jasmine Crockett (Texas) and Kweisi Mfume (Md.) are all running for ranking member, while Republican Reps. Byron Donalds (Fla.) and Andy Biggs (Ariz.) are each running for governor in their respective states. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) is running for Senate, and Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Greene are mulling gubernatorial bids.
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