WASHINGTON — Public discourse became much coarser in Congress this week.
On the heels of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s avalanche of insults during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Jeffrey Epstein — she called Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., “a washed-up loser lawyer” and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., “a failed politician” and “hypocrite” — Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison came under attack.
Ellison was a witness Thursday at a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing on immigration. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., asked Ellison if he was aware of “trained activists in Minnesota” who used “Signal chats” to communicate.
Ellison responded that he was aware that people had First Amendment rights to protests. “I freely admit being in favor of the First Amendment,” he said.
Things went downhill from there.
Related: AG Ellison on Homan meeting: ‘I did not negotiate’ or offer any compromise on keeping Minnesotans safe
Johnson loudly and angrily accused Ellison of “putting people in harm’s way” and being complicit in the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
“Two people are dead because you encouraged them to put themselves in harm’s way,” Johnson said. “A tragedy was going to happen and you knew it … . Now you are exploiting these two martyrs.”
As a parting shot, Johnson told Ellison to “sit there and smirk, smirk … you are sickening.”
“Are you asking me for comment, senator?” Ellison responded. “Because everything you said was untrue. It was a nice theatrical performance, but it was all lies.”
Another Republican senator, Josh Hawley of Missouri, pivoted from the issue at hand — immigration — to assault Ellison about fraud.
Hawley accused Ellison of being complicit in the “Feeding our Future” scam, in which $250 million in federal funds were diverted from a pandemic-era program to feed children.
“You’ve been right at the center of this project from the beginning, and you’ve enabled it, and you should resign,” Hawley told Ellison.
Ellison shot back that Hawley should resign.
“I was thinking the same thing about you,” he said.
Hawley claimed that Ellison and his family profited from the Feeding our Future scheme.
“For the record, he’s lying, and that’s the truth,” Ellison said.
At one point, Ellison appealed to committee chairman Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., saying, “I did not come here to be insulted. I came here voluntarily.”
But Hawley’s accusations that Ellison received payments for helping Feeding Our Future fraudsters continued, with a lot of angry crosstalk.
“Don’t talk over me,” Hawley commanded.
“You’re talking over me,” Ellison responded.
“It’s my hearing, pal,” Hawley said.
“Don’t call me pal,” Ellison retorted. “I’m not your pal.”
“I ought to call you a prisoner, because you ought to be in jail,” Hawley shot back.
Mercifully, the five minutes Hawley was allotted to question the hearing witnesses was finally up.
The other witnesses included Rep. Tom Emmer, R-6th District, Minnesota corrections chief Paul Schnell and Republican state Rep. Harry Niska.
Like Ellison, Schnell defended the state’s practices when it comes to immigration.
“What is happening in Minnesota is not a dispute about whether immigration laws should be enforced,” Schnell testified. “What is in question are the reasons for the unprecedented federal action in Minnesota, how enforcement is carried out, the public safety and justice interests of our state, the legitimacy of both state and federal government.”
But Emmer and Niska painted a different picture, portraying Democratic officials of lawlessness in efforts to protect immigrants.
Emmer took the first shot at Ellison during his opening remarks — and also took a swipe at Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
Emmer said he looked forward to hearing about Ellison’s “role in tying the hands of law enforcement to protect criminals.” He added: “It’s a shame that his partner in crime, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, declined to testify today.”
Niska testified that “many of our state leaders and our largest local governments have moved beyond non-cooperation into outright hostility towards and active nullification of federal immigration law.”
Related: Justice Department subpoenas offices of Walz, Ellison, Frey and other Democratic officials who criticized immigration crackdown
A little later, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., announced that border czar Tom Homan was “standing down” Operation Metro Surge, the massive immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Homan said that decision was based on greater collaboration between Minnesota officials and ICE.
House rebukes Trump on Canadian tariffs
The U.S. House for the first time rebuked President Donald Trump on the issue of tariffs this week.
In a 219-211 vote on Wednesday, six Republicans voted to rescind the emergency declaration the president has used as a basis for hiking tariffs on Canada.
Just before the vote, one Republican who crossed party lines, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said Trump’s tariffs have been a “net negative” and a “significant tax that American consumers, manufacturers, and farmers are paying.”
On Truth Social, Trump threatened all Republicans who voted against tariffs, the centerpiece of his economic policy.
“Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries,” the president wrote.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., co-sponsored a resolution challenging Trump’s tariffs on Canada last April. The legislation was approved by the Senate with the support of four Republicans. But any final legislation would be vetoed by Trump.
Still, the tariff votes indicate there is frustration in the GOP on the effects of tariffs on their constituents.
“Congress has sent this administration a clear, bipartisan message,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “They cannot continue to abuse their power to wage a trade war against one of our strongest allies. Canada is Minnesota’s top trading partner, but these chaotic tariffs are jeopardizing that relationship — and increasing costs for Minnesota families.”
In other news:
▪️ Forrest Peterson wrote that tariffs, ICE enforcement and dysfunctional politics are taking a toll on Minnesota’s farmers.
▪️ Reporter Trevor Mitchell wrote about innovative ways Minnesotans are helping immigrants who are afraid to go to work pay their rent.
▪️ Border czar Tom Homan says greater collaboration in Minnesota with ICE is the reason he’s ending Operation Metro Surge, but what has changed?
This and that
A reader was critical of the Trump administration’s massive immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
“If you really want to focus on getting out the worst, go to the places they live,” the reader said. “Shift resources to Arizona, Texas and Florida. Minnesota is a favored destination of refugees and others with legal status. We are a target only because Trump made us a target of a vendetta. Or go to states that claim they will work with you. Start with South Dakota.”
Please keep your comments, and any questions, coming. I’ll try my best to respond. Please contact me at aradelat@minnpost.com.
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