After securing a slim majority in the House of Representatives, Republicans held an hours-long hearing of the House Judiciary Committee focused on “border security, national security, and how fentanyl has impacted American lives” on Wednesday. The February 1 hearing was but the first of a series of hearings focused on the border organized by the new Republican majority, who are intent on using it as a political weapon to repeatedly cudgel their opponents.
Titled “The Biden Border Crisis—Part One,” Republicans used the hearing as an opportunity to browbeat the president for his border policies. In response, Democrats and their supporters criticized the hearing as a publicity stunt that platformed extremism and nativist conspiracy theories.
Ahead of the hearing, Representative Greg Casar a newly elected Democrat representing the 35th District in Texas, did not mince words about what he expected.
