Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) said Vice President JD Vance is a “suck-up” who embarrasses himself by seeking President Donald Trump’s “affirmation,” and criticized Vance’s comments about immigration enforcement in Minnesota.
Vance, who recently visited Minnesota to meet with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, has continued to defend federal law enforcement carrying out the administration’s immigration agenda.
“The vice president, who by the way, I mean, such a sycophant, such a suck-up,” Shapiro said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Monday night. “He embarrasses himself daily as he seeks the affirmation of Donald Trump.”
Shapiro condemned the Trump administration’s immigration operation in Minnesota after two separate fatal shootings in Minneapolis: Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent, and Renee Good by an ICE officer.
Following the fatal shooting of Good, Vance held a press briefing at the White House where he defended the ICE officer, telling reporters that federal law enforcement has “absolute immunity.”
“The precedent here is very simple. You have a federal law enforcement official engaging in federal law enforcement action — that’s a federal issue. That guy is protected by absolute immunity. He was doing his job,” Vance said at the time.
Shapiro previously served as Pennsylvania attorney general and said he disagreed with Vance’s immunity statements.
“He is wrong when he says they have immunity, whether in Mr. Pretti’s case or in Ms. Good’s case,” Shapiro said.
BIDEN CALLS FOR ‘FULL, FAIR’ INVESTIGATIONS INTO RENEE GOOD AND ALEX PRETTI’S ‘SENSELESS’ DEATHS
Shapiro argued that a case of voluntary manslaughter can be made against the border patrol agent who shot Pretti. He also said obstruction of justice charges can be made against federal law enforcement in both cases, based on the evidence he has seen.
“These federal agents are obstructing a state investigation, they have messed with a crime scene, they have made clear that they would be withholding evidence,” he said. “What they are doing is dangerous. They are not above the law.”
“No one is above the law in this country, and no one has absolute immunity. I don’t care what kind of BS JD Vance spews,” Shapiro added.
Trump confirmed that an investigation is underway into Pretti’s killing, after members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have called for it since Pretti’s death.
“We’re doing a big investigation,” the president said on Tuesday while departing the White House. “I want to see the investigation. I’m going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation.”
Shapiro said the Trump administration is using its power for “pure evil,” adding that when the government lies about what Americans are seeing, it creates a “rift.”
“I do believe that the government is a force for good, and I believe this administration in Washington is using it for pure evil in Minnesota right now,” he said. “No matter how many times this administration tells us to not see what we’re seeing with our own eyes, I think all that does is create more of a rift in our country.”
The Pennsylvania governor, who announced his reelection campaign earlier this month, called for the Trump administration’s immigration “mission” in Minnesota to be “terminated immediately.”
“What they are doing there is violating people’s constitutional rights,” he said. “What we are seeing is a lawlessness from this administration that must stop.”
“We can no longer allow this. They are not abiding by common sense principles of policing,” he added.
DHS GRAPPLES WITH PR NIGHTMARE AFTER ALEX PRETTI SHOOTING IN MINNEAPOLIS
Shapiro also revealed that his administration has conducted “table top exercises” in preparation for the Trump administration possibly sending federal law enforcement to Philadelphia.
“It is a sad day in America that a governor of a commonwealth needs to prepare for a federal onslaught where they would send troops to undermine the freedoms and the constitutional rights of our citizens,” he said.