GOP Responses on Immigration Growing Even More Extreme
The GOP would be well-served to remember the first rule of holes: When you’re in one, stop digging.
It was clear that Republicans sensed political danger in attacking the president’s new immigration policy, at least initially. Many top Republicans had no response at all when the news first broke. Now, however, the gloves are coming off and the GOP is once again showing its true — and truly extreme — colors on immigration.
Here’s a few examples.
- Top Romney Adviser Questions the Legality of Obama’s Immigration Order
Ed Gillespie, former chairman of the Republican National Committee and now a senior adviser to Mitt Romney questioned the legality of the president’s move during a weekend television appearance:
GILLESPIE: Every executive action that President Obama has taken will be subject to review. In the case of this case, it would be subject to review as to whether or not it is legal. There is legitimate questions about the legality of it, and everyone that he’ll take from here on forward will be subject to review and subject to repeal.
As we discussed yesterday, the Supreme Court, including two of its conservative justices, strongly affirmed the authority of the administration to act along the lines of the president’s recent immigration policy announcement.
- Member of the Senate GOP Leadership Suggests Impeaching Obama
This morning, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), a member of the Senate Republican leadership, appeared on a radio show and went so far as to suggest that the president could be impeached over immigration policy.
- GOP Congressman Fundraises Off Threat to Sue Obama
Shortly after the president’s immigration policy announcement, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) threatened to sue the administration over the new policy. While he hasn’t filed any such suit yet, King did take the opportunity today to fundraise off his threat. His email, sent to a list of Newt Gingrich supporters, repeated the baseless charge that the Obama policy is illegal — or worse:
What the President is planning to do with this order is illegal. It is unconstitutional. And he must be stopped.
- GOP Congressional Candidate Promises to Impeach Obama
Allen Quist, a former state representative running against Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) in Minnesota’s 1st congressional district, told a town hall late last week that Obama’s recent immigration policy, as well as his decision not to defend in court the Defense of Marriage Act, were both unconstitutional. He then promised to impeach the president, if elected:
QUIST: When Richard Nixon was threatened with impeachment, one of the articles of impeachment was violating the Constitution of the United States. So is this an impeachable offense? Yes. Whenever the Constitution is violated, it is an impeachable offense. […]
QUESTIONER: Would that be something you would propose amongst your fellows there?
QUIST: I would not only propose it, I would argue it to the utmost of my ability and I would carry it like a banner to the American public.
- Mitt Romney Continues to Attack Obama, Refuses to Make His Own Position Known
Just this afternoon at a campaign appearance in Virginia, Mitt Romney attacked the president on immigration more generally, but once again refused to say what he’d do about the president’s new immigration policy if he’s elected.
In addition to Romney himself dodging questions, his campaign staffers and advisers have also repeatedly struggled to answer questions about Romney’s views on immigration. His campaign co-chair, Carlos Gutierrez, spent some four minutes on television today dodging questions about Romney’s views.
Romney has also conveniently dropped mentions of his well-documented “self-deportation” plan for the 11 million “illegals,” as he often derisively called undocumented immigrants during the Republican primary, already in this country.
IN ONE SENTENCE: Just when you thought the GOP’s views on immigration couldn’t get any more extreme, some Republicans are even threatening to impeach the president because of his efforts to fix our broken immigration system and stop unconstitutional, discriminatory efforts by Arizona and other states.
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