New York Governor's embarrassing confession about migrant who set sleeping woman on fire on subway
New York Governor Kathy Hochul was left speechless in a humiliating moment during a tense congressional hearing when she was asked to name the illegal immigrant accused of setting a sleeping woman on fire aboard a Brooklyn subway train.
The Democrat was grilled by GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik, who blasted Hochul over her handling of the migrant crisis before the House Committee on Oversight and Reform on Thursday.
'Do you know who Sebastian Zapeta-Calil is?' Stefanik asked during the House hearing.
Zapeta-Calil, a Guatemalan illegal immigrant, was accused of torching an innocent woman to death on a Brooklyn train last December.
But Hochul was caught off guard and appeared clueless, unable to recognize the name.
'I'm sure you'll tell me,' Hochul replied. 'There's many cases.'
'I don't have the specific details at my disposal, no.'
'These are high-profile cases. New Yorkers know about them and you don't?' Stefanik responded.
Hochul (pictured) was left speechless in a humiliating moment during a tense congressional hearing when she was asked to name the illegal immigrant accused of setting a sleeping woman on fire aboard a Brooklyn subway train
'Well this is an illegal migrant in New York because of your sanctuary state policies.'
'I bet you're gonna be familiar when I remind you, he found a sleeping woman on the subway, lit her on fire, and burned her alive. This is in Kathy Hochul's New York.'
'And as I'm sure you are aware, and I'll remind you that ICE issued an order to detain this violent criminal, but that was rejected by New York officials due to sanctuary state laws,' Stefanik continued.
'I just want to say this, these crimes are horrific,' Hochul replied. 'I condemn them.'
'Because of your sanctuary state policies,' Stefanik said.
'In all of these cases, we would work with ICE to remove them,' the governor replied.
The embarrassing moment comes as Stefanik eyes a run against Hochul in 2026.
Hochul appeared alongside Democrats Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz at the hearing.
She's positioning herself as the law-and-order candidate who protects New Yorkers from violent criminals.
US Representative Jim Jordan, and US Elise Stefanik, listen during a Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing on 'A Hearing with Sanctuary State Governors'
This comes as New York - one of America's most Democratic states - is experiencing a dramatic shift to the right for the first time in decades.
A poll that was released last month found New York could be competitive for Republicans as candidates eye challenging unpopular Democratic Governor running for reelection.
A GrayHouse poll found that just 36 percent approve of New York Governor Kathy Hochul's performance and 55 percent disapprove.
The poll shows that rising Republican star Elise Stefanik, 40, is within striking distance of Hochul if she decides to run a campaign for governor.
Forty-six percent of voters said they would vote for Hohul, while Stefanik would earn 40 percent of the vote. Fourteen percent of voters were undecided.
After having her nomination for Ambassador to the U.N. scrubbed due to the House's tight GOP majority, Stefanik remains in the House.
The harsh exchange was reminiscent of another congressional hearing that skyrocketed Stefanik into GOP legend.
In 2023 the lawmaker issued scathing questionings of the then-presidents of Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania.
The administrator's defense of antisemitic protests on campus in the wake of the October 7 attacks eventually led to both presidents being ousted, sealing a tangible GOP victory for Stefanik and Republicans over the Ivy League universities.
This time, however, Stefanik could aim at her most likely opponent in a potential 2026 matchup.
A Siena College poll from late May found that Stefanik and Hochul would likely win their respective primaries, Democrats still hold the very early edge in the general election.
It's been 23 years since a Republican won a governor's race in New York.
The top House Democrat, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, urged the congresswoman to run on Thursday.
'Here's my political advice for Elise Stefanik: Run, Elise, run,' baiting he Republican.
GOP N.Y. Rep. Mike Lawler is also reportedly considering a run, though he, like Stefanik has not made any official announcements.
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