The hearing turned heated when State Sen. Mario Mattera pressed MTA Chair Janno Lieber over a $35 million contract with Allied Security Services, accusing private guards of allowing fare evasions. Lieber defended the contract, saying guards cut evasion by more than one-third, but the pair interrupted each other and Lieber was heard saying "Shut up" before apologizing. Committee Chair J. Gary Pretlow restored order with his gavel while other lawmakers and a guard quoted by the press renewed debate over enforcement and accountability.
MTA Hearing Erupts: Chair Janno Lieber Tells Senator "Shut Up" During $35M Security Contract Clash
New York State budget hearing erupts into shouting match(Fox News)
At a joint New York State budget hearing, a heated exchange erupted when State Sen. Mario Mattera (R–St. James) challenged MTA Chair Janno Lieber over a $35 million contract with Allied Security Services for private guards at subway turnstiles. The confrontation escalated into shouting, an apology and renewed scrutiny of the role private security plays in reducing fare evasion.
What Triggered the Row
Mattera pressed Lieber about reports alleging some contracted guards let riders bypass turnstiles, citing videos and media accounts that show people avoiding fares — sometimes after problems scanning in the post-MetroCard era. Mattera characterized the contract as an example of wasteful MTA spending.
Police officers patrol the passageway connecting New York City's Port Authority bus terminal and the Times Square subway station Dec. 12, 2017.
Lieber's Defense
Lieber pushed back, defending the workers and the contract. He noted that Allied’s gate guards are local New Yorkers — "It’s not a bunch of Pennsylvanians" — and said the guards have helped cut fare evasion by more than one-third since the agreement began.
The Confrontation
The exchange became personal after interruptions and overlapping remarks. Lieber attempted to respond: "Let me finish. Let me finish." Mattera replied, "You’re rambling." At one point Lieber was audible saying, "Shut up," then later apologized after Mattera demanded one. Committee Chairman J. Gary Pretlow (D–Mount Vernon) slammed his gavel and admonished both men to lower their voices to restore order.
Zohran Mamdani, mayor of New York, left, and Janno Lieber, CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority during a storm briefing at the New York City Emergency Management center in the Brooklyn borough of New York Jan. 23, 2026.
"They say, ‘You’re not a cop, you can’t stop it,’" said Romuald Zampout, a guard quoted by the New York Post, describing riders who refuse to pay.
Broader Reactions
Republican lawmakers criticized the contract and pushed for stronger enforcement. State Sen. Steve Chan, a former police officer, called the guards "scarecrows" and urged allowing police to issue summonses and make arrests. State Sen. Bill Weber demanded a full audit of the MTA and its subcontractors, calling the security spending another transit "boondoggle."
The exchange underscored larger questions about accountability, the effectiveness of private security versus police enforcement, and the MTA's contracting choices as lawmakers weigh budget priorities and rising concerns about fare evasion.
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