McCain Skips Votes on Immigration Bills His Campaign Approved
March 14, 2008
Two weeks ago it was reported that John McCain's campaign approved a package of enforcement-only bills drafted by Senate Republicans to use immigration as a wedge issue. [washingtontimes.com, 3/6/08] The package was described by the LA Times as "the hardest-hitting package of immigration enforcement measures seen yet -- one that would require jail time for illegal immigrants caught crossing the border, make it harder for them to open bank accounts and compel them to communicate in English when dealing with federal agencies." [LA Times, 3/4/08]
Last night Senate Republicans forced votes on the Senate floor to add some of those bills as ammendments to the Budget Resolution being debated in the Senate. John McCain allowed Senate Republicans to go forward with that approach, but skipped the votes in favor of fundraising for his campaign. [2008 Senate Vote #58, 60 Thomas.loc.gov, 3/13/08]
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement:
"John McCain's silence last night while his Republican colleagues in the Senate forced votes on mean-spirited enforcement-only immigration amendments speaks volumes about how far he is willing to go to pander to the far right. McCain has already made it clear he would vote against the comprehensive immigration reform bill he once sponsored, but by allowing the Republican Party to continue using immigration as a wedge issue, he is giving his stamp of approval to the scapegoating of immigrants that has become a staple of Republican campaigning. That's unacceptable, and disgraceful. John McCain ought to denounce the GOP's approach, not sanction it, and ought to have the courage to show up to vote when his campaign-approved bills are on the floor of the Senate."
Senate Republicans Use Package of Immigration Bills to Force Democrats to Get on Record, McCain Camp Signed Off on the Approach. "In the Senate, a group of mostly conservative Republicans last week unveiled a package of legislation to crack down on illegal immigration and secure the border. They, too, said they would use procedural tactics to get Democrats on the record on the volatile immigration issue." [Associated Press, 3/11/08] When the package was introduced, it was reported that "the McCain campaign had signed off on the approach." [washingtontimes.com, 3/6/08]
House Republicans Have Forced a Series of Votes on Immigration in Bid to Hurt Democratic Candidates in November. "Seeking an early edge for next year's elections, House Republicans have forced several immigration votes on seemingly unrelated legislation since Democrats took control in January. Republicans want to keep forcing Democrats to take votes that could be seen as favoring illegal immigrants. Party leaders say they will keep finding ways to relate nearly everything the House does this year back to immigration, no matter how big of a stretch. The hope is that a pro-immigrant voting record could hurt vulnerable freshman candidates...'Many votes on this issue will have one purpose and one purpose only: to get political adversaries on the record for the purposes of a future campaign commercial,' said David Wasserman, who analyzes House races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report in Washington." [Arizona Republic, 10/10/07]
