After the embarrassing meeting that Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) had in El Salvador with illegal alien Kilmar Abrego Garcia, where even the President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele trolled him, you would think that the Democrats would have scaled back on the terrible optics they've been putting out over this controversy.
But I guess not.
4D Chess: Bukele Lets Van Hollen Meet With Abrego Garcia for Damning Pics That Blow Up Dem Narrative
Because now it comes out that at least two more people have requested Congressional funding to go to El Salvador themselves, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) and Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL).
But the head of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. James Comer (R-KY) is having none of it.
If Democrats wish to travel to El Salvador and meet with a foreign illegal MS-13 gang member, they can spend their own money to do so.
— Rep. James Comer (@RepJamesComer) April 18, 2025
I will not approve a single dime of Oversight Committee taxpayer funds for use on the excursion Democrats have requested. pic.twitter.com/ldokDJBTve
If Democrats wish to travel to El Salvador and meet with a foreign illegal MS-13 gang member, they can spend their own money to do so.
I will not approve a single dime of Oversight Committee taxpayer funds for use on the excursion Democrats have requested.
In the letter, Comer writes:
I write in response to your letter of April 15, 2025 requesting that I approve, from the Committee’s budget, official travel for you both to visit the country of El Salvador to meet with a foreign MS-13 gang member whose wife accused him of crimes and who is strongly suspected of human trafficking.
He said it is absurd that they are asking for this, when they displayed "active hostility" to oversight of the Biden border crisis, yet now they want to go there to meet with Abrego Garcia.
Comer said that they would be pleased to know that Van Hollen was photographed "enjoying margaritas garnished with cherry slices with the foreign gang member your letter references." His letter continues:
If you also wish to meet with him, you can spend your own money. But I will not approve a single dime of taxpayer funds for use on the excursion you have requested.
Your request is denied.
That's why Bukele ultimately allowed the meeting: to kill the Democratic narrative on the issue, showing Abrego Garcia appeared in good condition, not to mention having a picture of a Democratic senator meeting with him. I'm not sure that Democrats get even now how bad that was for them, and how it's going to come back and haunt them in the midterms.
Good for Comer. People loved his response, with most saying, "Good." What would these representatives be doing anyway that Van Hollen hadn't already covered, and why should the American people pay for it? And Van Hollen going was already one more than should have gone; his shouldn't be paid for either. They all just want to play theater kids and put on a dog-and-pony show. They still are not getting that most Americans would not agree. It's so bizarre that they are clamoring for a picture with this guy. They don't get how bad it looks for them.
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