Mother who lost daughter to fentanyl hits back at Dem Rep who said she was 'used' by GOP

A mother who lost her daughter to fentanyl hit back at New York Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman for lecturing her during a House national security hearing on Thursday, in an exclusive interview with the Daily Caller News Foundation Friday.

Josephine Dunn Lost daughter Ashley to a fentanyl pill at the age of 26, and testified before the committee as part of a hearing titled “Voices for the Victims: The Heartbreaking Reality of the Mayorkas Border Crisis” on the proceedings of 'impeachment in the Department of Homeland. The Secretary of Security (DHS) Alejandro Mayorkas. During the hearing, Goldman told Dunn that she was being “used” by Republicans on the committee, adding that she “didn't have the background to understand what a felony and misdemeanor is and how it relates to that.”

“He's not aware of my understanding, what my education is, what my experience is in any of these areas when it comes to misdemeanors or major crimes,” Dunn told the DCNF.

“I have my opinions and for me to assume that I just want to put more money into a system that has had a lot of money put into it and is still broken is wrong. Please don't think for me, I have a brain that can think and speak for me,” Dunn said.

During the hearing, Goldman accused Dunn of not being qualified to testify as part of the impeachment proceedings against Mayorkas.

“I want to apologize to you in some way because you're here, really to share your story, but to be used as a fact witness for an impeachment inquiry,” Goldman told Dunn. “And obviously given what your experience has been, you don't have the background to understand what a felony and a misdemeanor is and how it relates to that. So I hope you'll handle it well.”

“Would you agree, or not, that it would help stop the trade of fentanyl and the trafficking of fentanyl from coming into this country if we had more law enforcement officers at the border and more resources and technology to stop fentanyl from coming in? ” he asked Dunn. “Are you okay with that?”

Dunn disagreed “because now the border patrol is being used to make sandwiches and to screen people and let them into our country,” adding “I wish the border patrol could do the job to to which they were hired. Every border patrol agent I have spoken to has told me that this administration and Mr. Mayorkas have their hands tied. Have I been to the border, sir, have you?

Dunn also wrote on her Facebook page Thursday that she came to Congress to share Ashley's story.

“Forgive me sir, but you know nothing of my experience, background, or understanding. Also in all my research you have yet to travel once to the southern border of the United States. That is why you avoided my question?” she wrote

“Can't you go back to your constituency and explain your misunderstanding of the border, lack of experience at the border or was it something else? I think you might have heard what I actually said. NOT what you wanted me to say,” he added.

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized approximately 26,700 pounds of fentanyl in fiscal year 2023, compared to approximately 14,100 pounds in fiscal year 2022. seconds to CBP data.

Fentanyl is largely responsible for the 105,263 drug-related deaths that occurred between February 2022 and January 2023, and is the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-49. seconds to the DOJ. almost 108,000 Americans died of overdoses in 2021, a 15% increase from 2020 after a 30% increase the previous year, according to provisional data published by the CDC.

A Goldman spokesman did not respond to DCNF's request for comment.

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