Boston Mayor Michelle Wu entered a high-stakes Republican-led Congressional hearing while holding her baby daughter, who became a star of sorts in the day’s proceedings, gaining mentions by federal lawmakers on several occasions.
About an hour and a half in, the chair of the day’s hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Kentucky Republican James Comer, announced that Wu needed to “take a short break to attend to her young child.”
Wu responded by saying that her husband had informed her that her baby was “OK for now” and that she could proceed with the hearing, and wait until everyone took a break, so that she wouldn’t have to go into the bathroom by herself to nurse.
Later, Wu’s daughter got a shout-out from U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, a New Mexico Democrat.
“I want to acknowledge Mayor Wu, because not only are you the first woman to ever serve the city of Boston, if you all haven’t been watching, she is also the mother of a newborn who is here with her,” Stansbury said.
“She has a seven-week-old baby, and she showed up to testify and get yelled at by our colleagues for four hours. Thank you, Mayor Wu. May your daughter grow up to be a fierce leader like you.”
With her baby girl in her arms, Mayor Michelle Wu went to Congress to defend Boston’s sanctuary-like Trust Act — and is fund-raising off the appearance.
Wu, her campaign appeal states, is “facing outrageous attacks from MAGA Republicans” and is looking for $10 to $250, or “other amount,” as she faces a reelection fight against rival Josh Kraft, who is the only one so far to pull papers. Baby Mira Wu Pewarski was pictured in the appeal.
Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan, a Wu loyalist, shared a selfie online announcing she wouldn’t be at Wednesday’s council meeting because she was “watching Mayor Wu as she testifies before Congress.”
Durkan did not answer her cell phone but later tweeted: “No tax dollars. I’m patriotic!”
Durkan posted a selfie on Instagram earlier in the day showing her inside a jet with the caption: “Good morning, Boston! (with a sun emoji) I won’t be at our weekly Council meeting because I’ll soon be in D.C., watching Mayor Wu as she testifies before Congress & also meeting with Senator Markey, and members of MA congressional delegation to fight against catastrophic funding cuts.”
Durkan sat behind Wu as she answered questions.
Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) said each illegal immigrant costs taxpayers $9,000 each. David Bier, director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute who was on the panel with the mayors, disagreed with that estimate but didn’t offer up another number.
Attorney Edward O’Callaghan, hired by Mayor Wu as part of a $650,000 “outside” legal coverage for the hearing, was literally in her ear at times. Wu hired the law firm of Cahill Gordon & Reindel with O’Callaghan heading the team, the firm told the Herald. He was directly behind the mayor all day.
Wu’s testimony didn’t sit well with Bostonians Against Sanctuary Cities.
“Today was a victory for law and order,” said Lou Murray, co-founder of the group. “Wu’s legalistic non-answers on how much tax dollars have been expended on illegal aliens rang hollow for a mayor who is seeking a tax increase.”
The real cost to the city, he added, is climbing and taxpayers want a straight answer.
U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-MA, told reporters during a break in the Congressional sanctuary hearing that her decision to walk out of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address was a first for her during her time in Congress.
“I’ve been in Congress for six years; prior to that I was an aide for 16 years,” Pressley said. “I have never walked out of a joint address of Congress or State of the Union, even under Trump’s first term in office.
“But last night, there is no way that I can stay there, given his harmful rhetoric and even more harmful policies, knowing the way it’s impacting people.”
Pressley, a progressive “squad” member, said she “briefly” attended the president’s speech to honor her guest, Claire, a manual wheelchair user and probationary federal worker was terminated from a job she was “damn good at,” enforcing fair housing laws at Housing and Urban Development.
