The husband of Rep. Ayanna Pressley was filmed swatting a phone out of a reporter’s hands as he attempted to ask her about alleged child care fraud in Minnesota.
The husband of Representative Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., was involved in a confrontation with a reporter on Monday at Chelsea City Hall in Massachusetts. The incident occurred when the reporter attempted to ask Pressley about allegations of child care fraud tied to the Somali community in Minnesota.
As the reporter approached Pressley with his phone camera recording, he began to ask, “Congresswoman Pressley, do you support—” before Conan Harris, Pressley’s husband, intervened by slapping the phone out of the reporter’s hands. The reporter could be heard expressing his dismay, stating, “Sir, you cannot take my phone out of my hand.” After the phone was retrieved, the cameraman attempted to refocus on Harris, who was seen walking into a nearby room.
Following the altercation, the reporter redirected his attention back to Pressley, attempting once more to pose his question. “Congresswoman Pressley, do you support President Trump investigating Somali child care fraud in Minnesota?” he asked as Pressley walked away, flanked by her staff.
This incident unfolded on the same day that the Trump administration announced a freeze on $10 billion in federal funds allocated for child care across five states, including Minnesota. The decision came amid growing scrutiny over reports of social services fraud involving the Somali community in the state.
The affected states are California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. An official from the Office of Management and Budget reportedly indicated that the hold on funds is due to concerns about both fraud and the provision of funds to undocumented immigrants.
Pressley has not responded to requests for comment regarding the incident or the broader issues surrounding child care fraud. Elon Musk, former head of the Department of Government Efficiency, remarked this week that the fraud levels in California, New York, and Illinois are significantly higher than those in Minnesota. He estimated that nationwide fraud could account for roughly 10% of the federal budget, equating to about $700 billion annually.
According to Fox News Digital, the incident has drawn attention not only for the altercation itself but also for the implications of the ongoing investigations into child care fraud and the political ramifications surrounding the issue.