U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree’s decision to exclude GOP lawmakers from a congressional hearing into the recent killing by ICE agents of a southern Maine immigrant is drawing a rebuke from the top elected city official.
The Democrat congresswoman’s partisan approach is angering Biddeford Mayor Liam LaFountain, who said he had hoped the hearing would be non-political.
“I expressed my hope that members from both parties would be invited to participate because this is an issue that deserves serious attention and oversight from across the political spectrum,” LaFountain said in a statement.
Pingree said she planned a hearing Monday in Biddeford next week on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents’ use of force following last month’s deadly shooting in the Maine city.
But it’s a Democrat-only affair, raising suspicion about Pingree’s real intent.
Colombian national Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero, 25, was shot and killed by an ICE officer on July 13 while he was in his car.
ICE officials later acknowledged that Guerrero wasn’t even the suspect they were looking for.
LaFountain, expected to testify at the so-called hearing, seemed to be raising the specter that Pingree is more interested in scoring political points than in getting at the bottom of the killing.
LaFountain has been trying to keep the lid on his city, which is at a boiling point over the ICE shooting – whether federal-immigration authorities are damned or praised.
To his credit the mayor has refused to cash in politically on the fallout, unlike Pingree who has been and is exploiting the dead immigrant’s legacy to every political advantage she can find.
Taking her lead, the Democrat members of the Homeland Security Committee issued a press release promoting their one-sided hearing.
“At the forum, entitled ‘Seeking Justice in Biddeford: Oversight of ICE’s Use of Force in the Death of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero,’ members of Congress will hear from representatives for the Durán Guerrero family, local officials, community advocates, and others who can speak to the state of the investigation and the impact ICE’s operations have had on Maine,” the Democrats said in a press release.
“Members and witnesses will hold a press conference immediately following the hearing,” they said, pointing out there will be no Republicans included in the publicity.
Pingree said the hearing will also be livestreamed on her YouTube channel.
She’s also limiting press coverage to only “credentialed” journalists, who must RSVP before attending.
Democrats in Maine are the worst!!
WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS ONCE GREAT STATE?!
Another in your face example of communist REIGN.
Human vermin. She would fit in better where she came from-Minnesota. Of course ASC “News” will fawn all over her as she’s a Trump-Hatwe.
I fear, that if Maine doesn’t go all red in November, our future is completely lost,….
Nothing says communist more than stifling free access to information. Pingree gotta go.
It’s going to be up to you guys to get your azzes to the polls. The majority of women in Maine are hopelessly Karened.
This sounds like it going to be just like the J6 committee bringing in their own witnesses to testify and no republicans in the discussion. Nothing but lies!
Chellie could do something more important for the state of Maine like recruiting all her pals to go out swimming on shark patrol. Make sure to put a good sunscreen on like oil of anchovy. Angus says global climate change is an existential threat to the world so use plenty of anchovy oil.
Democrat policies got him killed, right Chellie?
Just imagine HOW BAD YOUR LIFE WILL BECOME if Chellie Pingree’s daughter Hanna is elected governor .
I find the prospect unimaginable .
How does dictator pingree have the authority to make those decisions?
Why are there no republicans at least trying to oppose her? Come on Collins, do something!!
Maine democrats are afraid of maine wire so they blacklist them…a total communist dictatorship move.
Pingree is a lying, corrupt worm….the thought of 2 corrupt pingree worms is a nightmare….maine NEEDS republicans to win in november, if not , maine is so seriously fu*cked.
What happened to the once great state of Maine is that few sane Mainers run for office and too few Mainers bother to get out and vote against the Democrat (Communist) candidates !
I thought Republicans were in charge of the committee, yet Pingree is acting in an authoritarian manner. Sad state of affairs.
Democrats doing Democrat things…again!