KARL ROVE DIVIDES AND DISTRACTS ON IMMIGRATION

07/18/2006

(ST. PAUL) 7/18/06 – With Karl Rove, the chief political adviser to President Bush, set to arrive in Stillwater on Friday to headline a fundraiser for Republican 6th Congressional District candidate Michele Bachmann, the Minnesota DFL Party called on Bachmann to come clean and inform Minnesotans on whether she supports the Bush/Rove tactic of making scapegoats of immigrants to motivate extremist Republicans on Election Day.

“It’s time for Michele Bachmann to come clean,” Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez said. “She’s obviously no stranger to divisive wedge issues, but does she really want to endorse the Bush/Rove scare tactics? I realize that she isn’t doing well raising Minnesota money, but does she really want to completely turn her back on Minnesota values as well?

“The DFL Party supports comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders while protecting U.S. workers and their wages, reuniting families, and letting hardworking immigrants who pay taxes and obey the law the opportunity to earn the responsibilities of citizenship.

“We won’t scapegoat and we won’t use wedge issues to win elections. It’s the wrong way to govern, it shows a bankruptcy of leadership and Minnesotans deserve better.”

Bush is beginning to side with extremists on immigration. “...President Bush is signaling a new willingness to negotiate with House Republicans in an effort to revise the stalled legislation before Election Day. Republicans both inside and outside the White House say Mr. Bush, who has long insisted on comprehensive reform, is now open to a so-called enforcement-first approach … The shift is significant because Mr. Bush has repeatedly said he favors legislation like the Senate’s immigration bill, which establishes border security, guest worker and citizenship programs all at once. The enforcement-first approach puts Mr. Bush one step closer to the House, where Republicans are demanding an enforcement-only measure.” [New York Times, 7/4/06]

Rove working on an immigration compromise acceptable to House Republicans. “In the mini-shuffle announced yesterday, Rove was a winner. At the moment, he has two broad responsibilities: handling macro issues like taxes and immigration and planning for the election on November 7. When Rove’s job change was announced, it spread fear among the immigrant groups that are lobbying for immigration reform. Rove still has the assignment of working on a compromise on immigration legislation acceptable to Bush and to a majority of congressional Republicans.” [The Weekly Standard (The Daily Standard), 4/20/2006]