Tom Homan Dodges Question About Arresting Gavin Newsom By Attacking NBC’s Jacob Soboroff: ‘He’s a Joke!’
Border Czar Tom Homan appeared on Fox & Friends Monday morning, and blasted NBC News’ Jacob Soboroff as a “joke” and “dishonest reporter” over his interview with Gavin Newsom. This led the California Governor to challenge Homan to arrest him directly and put him in handcuffs, saying, “Tom, arrest me. Let’s go.”
The governor’s remarks came after Soboroff asked Homan on Saturday whether his threat to arrest those obstructing ICE operations applied to Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
“There have been threats previously that if you stand in the way of your enforcement operations, you could be subject potentially to arrest,” Soboroff asked. “Are you saying that about Mayor Bass and Gov. Newsom? Are they at risk of being arrested?”
“I’ll say it about anybody,” Homan responded broadly, “You cross that line, it’s a felony to knowingly harbor and conceal an illegal alien. It’s a felony to impede law enforcement doing their job.”
In an interview with Newsom on Sunday, Soboroff said to the Governor, “Tom Homan, the Border Czar, said to me yesterday, he did not rule out arresting you nor Mayor Bass if you interfere,” in the unfolding conflict in Los Angeles including the controversial deployment of National Guard troops by President Donald Trump.
Newsom replied by accusing the Trump administration of exhibiting “authoritarian tendencies” and using federal power as a political weapon.
“He’s a tough guy. Why doesn’t he do that? He knows where to find me,” Newsom began, visibly angry. “But you know what? Let your hands off 4-year-old girls who are trying to get educated. Let your hands off these poor people. They’re just trying to live their lives, man. Trying to live their lives, paying their taxes. Been here for 10 years. The fear, the horror.”
Fox & Friends viewers were shown riot footage of burning cars and a clip of Newsom’s challenge, before Lawrence Jones asked for Homan’s reply.
“Well, first of all, it’s just ridiculous,” the border czar said. “That reporter from MSNBC? He’s a joke. He’s a dishonest reporter.”
“What we discussed was, for those protesters that cross the line, I’ve said it many times, you can protest, you get your First Amendment rights. But when you cross that line, you put hands on an ICE officer, or you destroy property. I’d say that you’re impeding law enforcement or you’re knowingly harboring or concealing an illegal alien, that’s a crime. And the Trump administration is not going to tolerate it. You cross that line, but once you cross it, you go to the Department of Justice.”
“Then the reporter asked me, ‘Well, could Gov. Newsom or Mayor Bass be arrested?'” Homan continued. “I said, ‘Well, no one’s above the law. If they cross the line and commit a crime, absolutely, they can. So there was no discussion about arresting Newsom,” (apparently apart from the interview he did with Soboroff.)
“He’s failed that state,” Homan said, jabbing at Newsom. “He waited two days of that city burning. And people getting hurt. Officers being assaulted before he made any declaration of an unlawful assembly. He’s late to the game. President Trump isn’t late to the game.”
Watch above via Fox News.
