Ayanna Pressley Screams At Top Of Her Lungs As Somali Fraud Hearing Descends Into Mayhem
Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley screamed at the top of her lungs Wednesday as witnesses accused her of “demagoguery” during a House Oversight Committee hearing on Somalia fraud.
Pressley questioned the witnesses, all of whom were Minnesota state lawmakers, about whether they approved of President Donald Trump pardoning former New York Republican Rep. George Santos and former Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot defendant Brian Christopher Mock, who were both convicted of fraud. Witnesses accused Pressley of “grandstanding” when she failed to focus on the purpose of the hearing.
“NOW [Mock] claims he did these things in the name of patriotism, but in reality he is just a criminal. So raise your hand if you oppose Trump’s pardon of this individual from Minnesota,” Pressley told witnesses.
“Ma’am, this bombastic nonsense is exactly what Minnesotans hate about Washington,” responded Minnesota Republican state Rep. Kristin Robbins.
“This is not demagoguery! This is responsibility and you are hypocrites! So once again, I will accept your refusal to not… excuse me! Get my time back! Get my time back!” Pressley said, leading South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace to say she was “derailed.” (RELATED: House Democrats botched hearing rejecting evidence of Somali fraud by staring them in the face)
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Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said Pressley’s time had expired, although the congresswoman continued to demand that her time be made up. She then accused witnesses and some of her colleagues of not being “serious” in criticizing her behavior.
“I am looking for accountability and you want to flee the hypocrisy of your king and this administration!” » Pressley shouted.
Democratic members of the committee have tried to downplay or ignore the fraud in Minnesota, despite the attention it is drawing across the country. One committee member, Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Stephen Lynch, spent his four minutes talking about the legacy of former President John F. Kennedy rather than trying to get more information about the fraud.
Federal prosecutors have charged 98 defendants in various Minnesota-based social services fraud schemes, at least 85 of whom are of Somali descent. So far, fifty-seven defendants have been convicted of stealing more than $350 million from Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit that provided food to low-income children.
YouTuber Nick Shirley has exposed ten Somali daycare centers that appear not to be functioning, despite taxpayers’ money. The Quality “Learning” Center, which initially misspelled “Learning” as “Learning,” received $1.9 million in 2025 and $4 million in total funding from Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP). Five of the ten daycares Shirley visited served as meal locations for Feeding Our Future, which received nearly $5 million from the nonprofit between 2018 and 2021.
Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz on Monday abandoned his bid for re-election in the 2026 gubernatorial race as he faced scrutiny for his handling of fraud.
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