GOP lawmaker shocked after anti-ICE sheriff was stumped by 'fifth-grade civics' question

By Fox News · Fox News

North Carolina Republican state Rep. Allen Chesser said he was taken by surprise when a Democratic sheriff who has long opposed cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcemen t (ICE) could not answer a basic question about how the government works. A North Carolina House Oversight Committee hearing spurred on by the recent killing of a young Ukrainian woman, Iryna Zarutska , in Charlotte, took an unexpected turn when Chesser asked Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, "What branch of government do you operate under?" McFadden, who is the top law enforcement officer in the county where Zarutska was killed, simply answered, "Mecklenburg County," prompting Chesser to repeat, "What branch of government do you operate under, sheriff?" The sheriff answered, "The Constitution of the United States," to which Chesser responded, "That is what establishes the branches of government; I’m asking what branch you fall under." After McFadden answered, "Mecklenburg County" again, Chesser remarked, "This is not where I was anticipating getting stuck. Um, are you aware of how many branches of government there are?" The sheriff quickly shot back, "No." CHARLOTTE LIGHT-RAIL STABBING MURDER SPURS LANDMARK CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM FROM NORTH CAROLINA REPUBLICANS After a long pause, Chesser continued, "For the sake of debate, let’s say there are three branches of government: legislative, executive, judicial. Of those three, which do you fall under?" The sheriff answered, "I believe I fall under the last one … judicial." "You are incorrect, sir. You fall under the executive," said Chesser. After this, Chesser continued to press McFadden about how he reconciles his responsibility as an officer under the executive branch to enforce the law with his opposition to cooperation with ICE. Chesser asked McFadden how he reconciled his responsibility with a previous statement in which the sheriff said, "We do not have a role in enforcement whatsoever, we do not have to follow the rules…