Boston mayor Michelle Wu blows hundreds of thousands of dollars preparing for congressional hearing
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has blown up to $650,000 in city funds in preparation for Wednesday’s congressional hearing, according to an explosive new report.
The Democrat, 40, is reportedly bringing a dozen staff members with her to the hearing on sanctuary cities, which will cost taxpayers an additional $8,500.
The progressive mayor has also hired a legal ‘team’ – the Washington D.C. law firm Cahill Gordon & Reindel – which charges $950 an hour, according to the Boston Herald.
The total amount of taxpayer money Wu has splashed to prepare for her day in front of Congress has surpassed half a million dollars – as locals, who are footing the bill, called her ridiculous spending a ‘scam.’
Wu showed up to the Sanctuary City House Oversight Committee hearing on Wednesday with a religious ash cross on her forehead – and she was accompanied by her one-month-old baby.
The Mayor’s office told the Boston Herald: ‘The prep sessions included staff from the Mayor’s Office, Law Department, Boston Police and other senior advisors and leaders from the Cabinet, as well as an external law firm.’
‘The City retained Cahill for a rate of $950/hour and expects to pay the firm up to $650,000 for legal work related to the March 5 hearing, committee investigation, and production of related documents.’
Initially, her office said that the legal prep bill was one expense, but in an update, Wu’s team said: ‘Approximately 12 staff members are traveling with the Mayor to DC, and the estimated cost is around $8,500.’
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu blew up to $650,000 in city funds in preparation for Wednesday’s congressional hearing. (Pictured: Wu at the hearing in the U.S. Capitol)
Ahead of the hearing, Wu said that she was ready to ‘defend Boston’, which she also referred to as the ‘safest major city in the country.’ (Pictured: Wu arriving at the hearing Wednesday with her newborn daughter)
Josh Kraft, Wu’s mayoral opponent, said he appreciated her going to D.C. to support their city, but slammed her for the absurd amount of money she’s spending on the hearing alone.
‘Mayor Wu said she’s going to DC to defend the city, and I support this. My question is: do we need to spend $650,000 of taxpayer funds on a show trial hearing?’ Kraft, 57, said on Tuesday in a post on X.
Her outrageous spending has similarly caused anger among Boston locals.
One person wrote online: ‘Why does it cost that much to fly to DC, answer some questions, and fly home? Why are we paying this kind of money to simply go to DC and answer questions honestly?’
Another added: ‘$650k for legal fees? Dinner? Where the hell does she pull the $650k from?’
And a third said: ‘It should come out of her pocket personally. We’re already paying for all of her illegals. Now we have to pay for her violating federal law too.’ Another chimed in: ‘She’s not paying for anything. The taxpayers of Boston are though.’
Others questioned if the insane price would benefit her in front of Congress.
One person said: ‘Imagine us paying 650,000 to be embarrassed in front of the entire country.’ A second added: ‘It’s not like she can go and tell the truth or something. Why miss the opportunity to misuse the citizens money once again.’
Another person simply put: ‘What a absolute scam.’
The law firm Wu chose told the outlet they were hired as ‘outside counsel.’ Edward O’Callaghen, a lead attorney at the firm’s D.C. office will be seated behind Wu during the hearing which starts at 10am in the U.S. Capitol building.
She and three other sanctuary city mayors from Denver, New York City and Chicago chose to testify after they were each sent a letter in January by oversight committee Chair James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky.
In his letter, Comer said the committee was ‘investigating sanctuary jurisdictions across the United States and their impact on public safety and the effectiveness of federal efforts to enforce’ the nation’s ‘immigration laws.’
Ahead of the hearing, Wu said that she was ready to ‘defend Boston’, which she also referred to as the ‘safest major city in the country.’
‘There is so much that we are proud of back at home that has made our progress together possible, and there is still so much work that we are looking to do together,’ she continued.
‘I’d be at home doing that work right now, but I will never back down from an opportunity to defend Boston, to defend our residents, and to defend all that we have accomplished together.
‘I, everyday, live the dream. I get to wake up and go to work for the residents of the greatest city in the world, I get to do that work in the most beautiful building in the world, alongside the greatest colleagues in the world,’ Wu said as she turned to her Democratic allies, including Elizabeth Warren, and Ayanna Pressley.
Sanctuary cities have taken over in the last couple years, limiting cooperation between federal immigration authorities and local law enforcement.
Wu is seen alongside New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Denver Mayor Michael Johnston, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson
Her outrageous spending has sparked anger among Boston locals, as well as her mayoral opponent Josh Kraft. (Pictured: Wu shaking hands with Mayor Adams ahead of the hearing)
Boston’s Trust Act – enacted in 2014 and amended in 2019 – limits cooperation with some federal immigration laws and prohibits Boston police, and other city departments, from cooperating with ICE. The Trust Act does allow for cooperation in criminal matters.
Since President Donald Trump took office again in January, he has made it his mission to crack down on illegal immigrants entering the U.S. – much of which was done when former President Joe Biden was in the White House.
Trump specifically tasked border czar Tom Homan with running operations across the nation to nab as many illegal migrants as possible and get them deported back to their home countries.
Shortly after Trump was elected, Wu promised to defy his mass deportation efforts in ‘every possible way.’
She has insisted that immigrants living in her city will be protected under the threat of deportation.
She and three other sanctuary city mayors from Denver, New York City and Chicago chose to testify after they were each sent a letter in January by oversight committee Chair James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky. (Pictured: President Donald Trump speaking to Congress on Tuesday evening)
Shortly after Trump (pictured Tuesday) was elected, Wu promised to defy his mass deportation efforts in ‘every possible way.’
‘Elections have consequences, and the federal government is responsible for a certain set of actions, and cities – no individual city – can reverse or override some parts of that,’ Wu previously told WCVB.
‘We want immigrants to know that it is safe for everyone to be able to feel comfortable reaching out for emergency services, to report a crime , to ask for help, and generally, to be part of our community.’
While defending her city, Wu, at the time, admitted that Boston’s resources had been stretched due to a recent influx of migrants.
The surge, with the ongoing housing crisis, has overwhelmed shelters for more than a year, according to Boston.com.
‘What we can do is make sure that we are doing our part to protect our residents in every possible way, that we are not cooperating with those efforts that actually threaten the safety of everyone by causing widespread fear and having large-scale economic impact,’ she said.
