Seven Republicans just torpedoed their party’s attempt to censure a Democrat facing federal charges for storming an ICE facility, as the Daily Mail reports. Rep. LaMonica McIver, New Jersey’s 10th District congresswoman, dodged a public rebuke when the House voted 215-207 against the measure. This betrayal of GOP unity raises eyebrows about political courage in Washington.
The House of Representatives rejected a censure motion against McIver, who faces accusations of assaulting federal officials at an ICE facility in New Jersey this summer. Louisiana’s Clay Higgins pushed hard for the vote, but seven GOP defectors -- Nebraska’s Don Bacon and Mike Flood, Ohio’s David Joyce and Michael R. Turner, California’s David Valadao, and “present” voters Andrew Garbarino and Nathaniel Moran of New York and Texas -- sunk it. The failure exposes cracks in Republican resolve against progressive overreach.
McIver, charged by Trump ally and temporary U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, pleaded not guilty to three counts of assaulting, resisting, impeding, and interfering with federal officials. She has demanded that the charges be dropped, claiming political targeting. Her defiance reeks of the left’s typical dodge: cry victim when caught.
“If House Republicans think they can make me run scared, they’re wrong,” McIver declared before the vote. That bravado might rally her base, but it sidesteps accountability for her alleged actions at the ICE facility. Her supporters cheer, but the charges aren’t exactly a badge of honor.
McIver’s legal troubles stem from a chaotic incident at a New Jersey ICE facility, where she allegedly clashed with federal agents. Habba, acting as U.S. Attorney, brought the charges, thrusting the case into the national spotlight. The appointment of Trump’s former lawyer to the role only fuels McIver’s narrative of a politicized vendetta.
The congresswoman wasted no time playing the race card, accusing Trump of targeting cities led by Black mayors like Washington, D.C.’s Muriel Bowser and Chicago’s Brandon Johnson. “Number one targets are cities that are led by Black mayors,” she told Marc Elias on the Defending Democracy Podcast. It’s a tired tactic -- deflect from personal misconduct by waving the flag of systemic bias.
The censure vote, meant to hold McIver accountable, collapsed when seven Republicans broke ranks. Don Bacon, who’s leaving Congress after the 2026 midterms, justified his vote to Axios, saying it’s “best to let Ethics Committee finish its report.” Apparently, some Republicans prefer bureaucracy over principle.
Mike Flood, David Joyce, Michael R. Turner, and David Valadao joined Bacon in shielding McIver, while Garbarino and Moran opted for a spineless “present” vote. Their refusal to back Higgins’ motion hands a win to Democrats who’d rather sweep the incident under the rug. It’s a gutless move that undermines GOP credibility on law and order.
Democrats, predictably, rallied around McIver, with some dismissing the censure vote entirely. “A ridiculous waste of time that Congress should be using to work for the American people,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal posted on X. Her sanctimonious outrage conveniently ignores McIver’s alleged assault on federal officers.
Lucy McBath, another Democrat, praised McIver’s “fearless” voice, claiming the censure was a “clear attempt to give more power to this President’s agenda.” The rhetoric is rich -- defending a colleague’s alleged lawbreaking as noble resistance. It’s the kind of moral gymnastics that thrives in progressive echo chambers.
McIver doubled down after the vote, posting on X that the censure was a “baseless, partisan effort to shut [her] up.” She’s not wrong about the partisanship -- politics is a contact sport -- but her refusal to address the charges head-on smells like deflection. Voters deserve better than sloganeering.
“I was not elected to play political games -- I was elected to serve. I won’t back down. Not now. Not ever,” McIver added. The tough talk plays well to her base, but it does little to clarify her actions at the ICE facility.
McIver’s accusations against Trump escalated when she labeled his “Liberation Day” rhetoric as racist. “When he says, ‘Oh,’ you know, ‘it’s Liberation Day,’ and all of these things, those are, you know, ways of him saying, ‘Oh, it’s white power,’” she told Elias. It’s a bold claim, but one that conveniently paints her legal woes as a grand conspiracy.
“Those are racist remarks,” McIver insisted, doubling down on her narrative. Yet, her focus on Trump’s rhetoric sidesteps the core issue: her alleged assault on federal agents. It’s a classic move -- shift the spotlight to avoid accountability.
The House’s failure to censure McIver, thanks to GOP defectors, signals a troubling lack of spine among some Republicans. With Democrats closing ranks and McIver dodging responsibility, the incident underscores a broader divide: one side demands law and order, while the other plays the victim card. Voters in New Jersey’s 10th District -- and across America -- deserve clarity, not political theater.
