Chaos at Wisconsin immigration hearing after gavel lunge
At a Wisconsin State Senate State and Federal Affairs Committee hearing in Madison, ranking Democrat Sen. Tim Carpenter (D‑Milwaukee) lunged at the gavel held by Chairman Chris Kapenga (R‑Oconomowoc) during a heated debate over a bill that would bar public funds from paying for health care for undocumented immigrants. The clash followed an earlier, later‑retracted anecdote told by Sen. Chris Larson about a migrant woman; Larson apologized after reporters found the woman was alive. The episode was captured on video (Wisconsin Eye) and has drawn attention amid broader partisan fights over immigration policy.
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Chaos erupts during immigration hearing as Democrat lunges at chairman’s gavel: 'I'm tired of you' '
New information:
- Sen. Tim Carpenter (D‑Milwaukee) physically lunged for the gavel held by Chairman Chris Kapenga (R‑Oconomowoc) during the committee meeting in Madison.
- The hearing centered on a proposed bill to bar public funds from paying for health care for undocumented (illegal) immigrants in Wisconsin.
- Sen. Chris Larson (D‑Milwaukee) misstated a prior anecdote about a migrant woman; Larson later apologized after the woman was reported to be alive.
- Primary source footage of the incident is available via Wisconsin Eye; Carpenter used explicit language and accused Republicans of being 'cowards' and of silencing him.