Some politicians manage to turn even solemn congressional hearings into spectacles of personal destruction, and Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) once again proved he is among the worst offenders.
According to RedState, Goldman used a House Judiciary Committee hearing on The Continuing Tragedy of Sanctuary Laws not to grapple with the deadly consequences of sanctuary policies, but to launch a character assault on Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar. The hearing, attended by Angel FamiliesAmericans whose loved ones were killed by illegal alienswas meant to examine how sanctuary laws undermine public safety and justice for victims, yet Goldman appeared more interested in scoring cheap political points than in honoring the grief and sacrifice of those families.
Goldman, already notorious for his condescension and his habit of treating crime victims families with open disdain, seemed determined to outdo his prior performances. He zeroed in on a 2015 sexual encounter Akshar had with the mother of a murder victim, a matter for which the sheriff was never charged with any wrongdoing and which bore no legitimate connection to the policy questions before the committee.
To the astonishment of many in the room, Goldman framed his line of questioning as if he were exposing some grand hypocrisy. He first asked Akshar whether he work[ed] every day to protect victims and their families, and when the sheriff answered yes, Goldman pounced, dragging the decade-old personal matter into the record as though it were a smoking gun. The move backfired immediately, with Akshar responding in visible disgust.
Dan Goldman exposed as a DEGENERATE in a House Judiciary hearing for smearing a Sanctuary City Sheriff right in front of Angel Families, one account of the exchange noted, capturing the outrage felt by many observers. Akshar himself fired back, declaring, Only a degenerate politician like you would bring that up, and adding, Im sorry to the Angel Families that are here that you have to listen to Mr. Goldman to Governor Hochuls bidding.
The sheriff repeatedly underscored what he saw as the political nature of the attack, remarking more than once that Governor Hochul would be proud of you. His point was clear: rather than defend New Yorkers from the consequences of Gov. Kathy Hochuls sanctuary policies, Goldman chose to shield those policies by attempting to discredit a law enforcement officer who dared to question them.
Committee Chairman Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) intervened to restore some measure of dignity to the proceedings. Addressing Akshar directly, he stated, Sheriff Akshar, I want to apologize on behalf of the committee for that obvious smear attempt. I can say that the gentleman from New York has now lived down to all of my expectations.
The episode highlighted a broader divide in Washington over immigration and public safety. While conservatives argue that sanctuary laws endanger citizens and disrespect the rule of law, progressives like Goldman appear more intent on silencing critics than on confronting the real human cost borne by Angel Families.
What Goldman hoped to prove remains unclear. By dredging up a personal matter from more than a decade agoone unrelated to the sheriffs current duties and never adjudicated as a crimehe did nothing to refute the core concern: that sanctuary policies protect illegal aliens at the expense of American lives.
For many on the right, the hearing served as a stark reminder of how far some Democrats will go to defend failed policies and attack those who challenge them. Thankfully for voters who value law and order, Goldman was crushed in his primary in June and will be leaving Congress in January 2027, forced to take what one critic called his woeful act elsewhere. Doubtless, as the original commentary acidly observed, MS NOW will call in the new year. Hes just despicable enough for that crowd.
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