Lawmaker shocked after Democratic sheriff fails to respond to simple ‘fifth-grade’ civics question

Chesser Questions McFadden at Oversight Hearing

During a recent North Carolina House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Allen Chesser, a Republican, expressed astonishment at the lack of basic governmental understanding from Democratic sheriffs, particularly in light of their long-standing opposition to cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

This hearing, prompted by the tragic murder of Ukrainian refugee Irina Zalutka in Charlotte, took an unexpected turn. Chesser queried Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, asking, “What branch of government do you operate under?” McFadden responded with “Mecklenburg County,” which led Chesser to rephrase the question, insisting, “Sheriff, what branch of government do you operate under?”

Eventually, McFadden stated, “The Constitution of the United States,” prompting Chesser to clarify further, “That’s what determines the branches of government. I’m asking you which branch you belong to.” When McFadden reiterated his earlier answer, Chesser said, “That’s not where I expected to get stuck. Do you know how many branches of government there are?”The sheriff replied, “No.”

Chesser then continued with, “For the sake of argument, let’s say there are three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. Which of the three would you fit into?” McFadden replied, “I think I fall under the last…judiciary.” This led Chesser to correct him, stating, “That’s not true, sir. You qualify as an executive.”

Chesser further pressed McFadden on the apparent contradiction between his role as an executive enforcing the law and his refusal to work with ICE. McFadden attempted to clarify, suggesting that his previous comments regarding enforcement related specifically to immigration.

Despite not elaborating fully, McFadden acknowledged that compliance with state laws involving ICE is necessary, saying, “We follow the law and we follow the law as it is enacted.”

In a follow-up interview, Chesser remarked, “Those were not the kinds of questions that we were going to ask him.” He pointed out contradictions in McFadden’s previous statements to the media regarding his compliance with the law. Chesser reflected on his surprise, saying he never expected to engage in such a basic civics discussion with a county sheriff.

Chesser criticized McFadden for seemingly positioning himself against immigration law enforcement in North Carolina, asserting it wasn’t so much a refusal to enforce immigration laws but rather a refusal to abide by state laws that require cooperation with ICE.

He concluded, reflecting on the recent tragedy, “I think there should be one thing that every North Carolinian can count on when it comes to public safety: You’re safe, and enforcement of the law doesn’t depend on the county you’re in.” Chesser emphasized that North Carolina aims to be a safe state for all its residents, advocating for equal and fair law enforcement across the state.