Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) condemned the recent “interference and grandstanding” displayed by some Democratic lawmakers, arguing that any “physical altercation” with law enforcement is unacceptable.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday for attempting to “storm” a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Newark, New Jersey, according to the Department of Homeland Security. He was joined by Reps. Rob Menendez (D-NY), LaMonica McIver (D-NY), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NY). The lawmakers claimed that they were at the location for oversight.
“But none of us, especially as members of Congress, should be engaged in any type of physical altercation with law enforcement officials,” Lawler said of the situation while appearing on Fox News’s America Reports. “And in the video, you certainly saw at points members of Congress engage in a physical altercation with law enforcement officials, and that is just unacceptable, no matter what the situation is. If the mayor was being arrested at that moment, you don’t interfere with that. You allow the process to play itself out, as we would expect every American citizen or anyone here in this country to abide by law enforcement order.”
Border czar Tom Homan also slammed Baraka for his stunt at the ICE prison, suggesting the mayor is “not very smart.”
The predicament that Democratic lawmakers are currently facing was addressed by late-night host Bill Maher, who described how the growing sympathy younger voters have for groups like the Houthis in the Middle East is a problem for the party. Lawler agreed with Maher, citing how it is “disturbing” that younger voters are advocating “terrorists” and their actions.
Lawler added that the Democratic Party’s embrace of “some of the worst actors” around the globe, such as the Hamas terrorist group or China, flies in the face of how the United States is a “beacon of hope” and “opportunity.” As such, he suggested this is “a big reason” why the Democratic Party lost control of the Senate and the White House in the 2024 elections.
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Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Republicans are seeking to maintain control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, where the party has a slim majority. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) expressed confidence that Republicans can grow their majority should the party remain unified, citing how the Democratic Party is undergoing an “internal civil war right now” with no identifiable leader.
This month, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) encouraged Democratic voters to “be mad, stay mad” going forward. He also lamented how his party had “canceled Joe Rogan years ago” and suggested that Democrats need to become a “big tent” party.