Committee member accuses colleagues of politicizing hearings to target marginalized groups

A committee member accused some colleagues of using hearings to pursue partisan objectives, saying the tactic is to "pick on a powerless minority" to win votes. The speaker named undocumented immigrants and "trans kids" as examples and contrasted that approach with what they said should be the committee's priorities, such as child poverty and health-care access.

The remarks framed the hearings as a tool for base politics rather than a forum for oversight, with the speaker asking the chair to focus on substantive policy issues instead of initiatives intended primarily to mobilize voters. The transcript records the accusation but does not show any rebuttal or defense from colleagues in the provided excerpt.