BETHLEHEM, Pa. — In a Democratic primary for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District crowded with largely untested candidates, Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley is staking his case on his record in office and a willingness to lean into controversy.
Appearing on this week's Lehigh Valley Political Pulse with host Tom Shortell, Pinsley framed his campaign around what he described as “bread and butter issues,” arguing that rising costs remain the central concern for voters, and that corporate power is to blame.
“To be honest, like, you know, like I think that the bread and butter issues, are still the top priority,” Pinsley said. “And so the problem is, is that corporations control too much of our cost of bread and butter.”
But much of the conversation centered on a flashpoint of Pinsley’s recent tenure as county controller, and drawn sharp reactions since he entered the congressional race.
"I think that the bread and butter issues, are still the top priority."Mark Pinsley
Pinsley recently called on Lehigh County to evict Homeland Security Investigations, a component of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, from county-owned office space. He cited years of unpaid rent by the federal government and argued the county had a moral obligation to sever ties with an agency he said has “terrorized migrant communities and their neighbors under the Trump administration.”
Shortell pressed Pinsley on whether the move amounted to political grandstanding, given the timing of the announcement and his run for Congress.
Pinsley said the overdue rent alone justified eviction, regardless of political considerations.
“And you pointed to the overdue rent as justification, like, even if you don’t agree with this,” Shortell said. “They, they still owe us years of rent.”
“I, so yes, I mean, like the fact that they haven’t paid their bill, 100%, they should be evicted,” Pinsley said. “There’s been plenty of time to solve for that.”
But Pinsley went further, arguing that ICE never should have been housed in county facilities at all. Speaking in his role as controller, he said the presence of federal immigration enforcement undermines trust between county government and residents, particularly immigrants.
“I actually don’t believe that we should have ever let them in in the first place,” Pinsley said.
“I do believe that there should be a separation between the federal government and the county government, so that like our public doesn’t see us, because we have to see them as residents, not citizens, right?”
"I do believe that there should be a separation between the federal government and the county government."Mark Pinsley
Pinsley said that separation is critical for public safety.
“If somebody is robbed, you know, and they are an immigrant, well, we should still have the police go after whoever robbed them,” he said. “Alternatively, if someone who is an immigrant sees somebody who robbed, who’s robbed, we want them to feel safe coming to the police and reporting that.”
He acknowledged that his stance has come at a personal cost.
“And I will tell you, like after, after, my announcement, I got death threats,” Pinsley said. “You know, so there are people here that are very pro ICE.”
Asked whether his combative posture raises questions about his ability to govern effectively in Washington, Pinsley said the skills required of a county controller differ sharply from those of a member of Congress.
“My current position is an individual position,” he said. “My position is not meant to like work with others in a, like, let’s like let’s push this under the carpet kind of a way, right? Is to bring visibility to it.”
In Congress, he said, collaboration would be essential.
“I’ve been, you know, a senior staff member at very large corporations, and that’s how you, that’s how we had to work together,” Pinsley said. “So I, I feel very confident in being able to work, you know, to build coalitions.”
Those coalitions, he added, must begin within his own party.
“I feel like the first coalitions you have to build is within the Democratic Party itself, right?” Pinsley said. “Because we have to get on the same page, and then, you know, work outside of the party.”
To hear the whole conversation, watch in the video player above or visit the PBS39 YouTube page to see a complete list of episodes.
