James Comer's A-Squealin' Like A Piggy Over Democrats Going To El Salvador

A handful of House Democrats flew to El Salvador on Monday in the hope they can put more pressure on the White House to bring back Kilmar Abrego Garcia and the 200-something other people the Trump administration illegally shipped off to serve as slave labor in a notorious prison for terrorists. This trip is not an official congressional delegation visit, or CODEL, but just four congressional reps who see advocacy for this injustice as part of their mission as elected leaders and humanitarians.

The trip would be a CODEL, which would mean the Dems could receive funding and security for it from Congress, but it is not a CODEL because James Comer, Republican chairman of the House Oversight Committee to which all these representatives belong, is a banjo-strummin', straw-chewin’, moonshine-brewin’, Kentucky fried garden gnome. Also an asshole.

And that’s us being nice.

Seriously, the Dems — Robert Garcia, Maxwell Frost, Yassamin Ansari and Maxine Dexter — requested Comer make their trip an official CODEL. Comer said no, and he did it in the most dickish letter we’ve probably ever seen on congressional letterhead, which we’ll reprint in full here because Jesus Christ:

Dear Representatives Garcia and Frost:

I write in response to your letter of April 15, 2025 requesting that I approve, from the Committee's budget, official travel for you both to visit the country of El Salvador to meet with a foreign MS-13 gang member whose wife accused him of crimes and who is strongly suspected of human trafficking. It is absurd that you both displayed active hostility for over two years toward the Committee's oversight of the Biden Border Crisis and the consequences of millions of illegal aliens entering the country, yet now, you are seeking travel at Committee expense to meet with foreign gang members. You may be pleased to know that a Democrat Senator, Chris Van Hollen, was photographed just yesterday in El Salvador enjoying margaritas garnished with cherry slices with the foreign gang member your letter references. If you also wish to meet with him, you can spend your own money. But I will not approve a single dime of taxpayer funds for use on the excursion you have requested.

Your request is denied.

Sincerely,

James Comer

The bit about the margaritas is a nice touch, since Van Hollen has publicly stated those glasses were empty and were placed on the table by an aide to Nayib Bukele so El Salvador’s president could shitpost on X about how well he’s treating Garcia.

We’re assuming Comer didn’t go to church on Easter, because surely we would have heard reports of him bursting into flames the second he entered the sanctuary.

What a grandstanding asshole. About what you’d expect from a good ol’ small-town bank president punching well above his weight.

https://www.wonkette.com/p/james-comers-a-squealin-like-a-piggy