Posted on 02/06/2015 4:22:10 AM PST by HomerBohn
Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a steadfast opponent of the Obama administration’s use of executive actions to grant amnesty to illegal aliens, is facing opposition from members of his own party in his attempt to delay a Senate vote to confirm Loretta Lynch — President Obama’s nominee for attorney general — until the White House reverses itself on the executive actions.
Cruz explained his position in a statement made to Politico in the Capitol on February 3:
For several months now, I have called on the Senate majority leader to halt confirmations of every nominee executive and judicial, other than vital national security positions, unless or until the president rescinds his unconstitutional amnesty. We have an opportunity in front of us right now with Loretta Lynch — a nominee for attorney general — who has fully embraced and flat-out promised to implement the unconstitutional amnesty.
Politico reported the following day that Cruz’s proposal has been rejected by several influential GOP senators, including his Texas colleague, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn.
The Dallas News quoted a statement made by Cornyn in a call with Texas reporters on February 4, explaining that although he opposes Lynch as a nominee for attorney, unlike Cruz, he wants the nomination brought to a vote:
I will oppose that nomination. While [Lynch] has an impressive record as a United States attorney, as you know she will become the chief advocate for the president’s policies as attorney general. And her testimony, expressing support for the president’s unconstitutional executive action and her support for a number of the president’s other policies, make it impossible for me to vote for her nomination.
Up to that point, Cornyn and Cruz are in agreement. However, reported both the Dallas Morning News and Politico, Cornyn said that he rejected Cruz’s proposed strategy. “I don’t think [the Lynch nomination and the Obama executive actions] should be coupled together, no,” he said.
Last week, Cruz said in a statement to CQ Roll Call that the success or failure of the Lynch nomination would be determined by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) noting that McConnell could refuse to bring her nomination to the floor.
Cruz also asked his fellow Republicans on the Judiciary Committee to vote against Lynch. “If every Republican on the Judiciary Committee votes ‘no,’ Ms. Lynch’s confirmation will be defeated,” said Cruz. “Likewise, if Republican leadership chooses not to report the nomination to the floor, Ms. Lynch’s nomination will be defeated.”
However, despite Cruz’s plea, McConnell has said that Lynch will “absolutely” get a vote in the Senate, but declined to comment further.
Other influential Republicans are also opposed to Cruz’s plan. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who is the presiident pro tempore of the Senate, has said he intends to vote to approve the Lynch nomination, offering justification for his position based on the “at least she’s not Holder” argument. “Republicans have been complaining about Eric Holder for a long time; this is an opportunity to make that change,” said Hatch. “I don’t think we should delay it at all. I think we ought to get her over there and get her working.”
When Senator Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), was asked about Cruz’s strategy, he responded: “That’s not my position.”
Like Hatch, Flake has also said that he will support Lynch’s confirmation, saying: “The president ought to get his people as long as there’s no disqualifying substance there, and I don’t think there is with her.”
Flake’s stand is not surprising, considering that he was one of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” that drafted Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 that passed the Senate but was never voted on by the House.
Obama used the House’s failure to pass the Senate bill as justification to turn to the executive order route to accomplish the failed legislation’s objectives, saying that his solution was for Congress to “pass a bill…. The truth is that the Senate did a good job in crafting a bipartisan [“Gang of Eight”] bill that would have greatly improved our immigration system, and my preference is for a legislative solution to this problem.”
The “Gang of Eight Bill” (which granted amnesty to many illegal immigrants) was not Flake’s first venture into drafting amnesty-based legislation. Back in 2007, when he was still a representative, he joined Representative Luis Guitierrez (D-Ill.), one of the House’s most outspoken advocates of amnesty for illegal aliens, in sponsoring legislation that included a “path to legalization” (amnesty) for “undocumented” (illegal) immigrants.
“I applaud my friends Rep. Flake and Gutierrez for moving forward on immigration reform,” the late former Senator Edward Kennedy said in a statement in advance of the bill’s introduction. “They are our valued partners in this effort to forge a tough but fair bill that strikes the right balance between protecting our security, strengthening our economy, and enacting laws that uphold our humanity.”
Kennedy had partnered with Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), who would go on to become another “Gang of Eight” member, in drafting a Senate bill that also provided amnesty for illegal immigrants.
Not surprisingly, McCain also opposes Cruz’s strategy, saying: “I don’t think [Cruz’s plan] works. I don’t think [Lynch’s confirmation and the Obama executive orders are] connected. I think we have an advise and consent role, and she should be judged on her merits or demerits.”
Republicans are now engaged in an uphill battle in the Senate to bring up a vote on a House-passed funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security that would repeal President Obama’s executive actions granting amnesty to five million illegal immigrants. While Republicans control the Senate, with 54 members, they are short of the 60 votes needed to end a Democratic filibuster and bring legislation to the floor for a vote. A recent vote to advance the Homeland Security funding bill got only 51 votes, showing that Senate Republicans are not even unified on that measure.
With Cruz’s proposal meeting so much resistance from members of his own party, it is apparent that the GOP lacks the unified resolve necessary to stop the Obama program to grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants.
Most of them call themselves 'moderates' or 'compassionate Republicans'. This bullcrap means that they stand for nothing. They're accommodators of the 'Progressives'.
I've now become a Ted Cruz supporter!
It's small wonder that Barry and the Democrats have so much contempt for Republicans; they're gutless wonders!
Ted Cruz, is principled and takes bold, practical action. I have steadfastly refused to contribute to the Republican Senatorial fund and never listen to their callers!
Republicans? You mean RepubliCats?
I contacted my newly minted Senator from Georgia, David Perdue, and told him that he had to publically state his intention on her nomination NOW. I told him NO, Hell No!.
Basically, if he and the rest of the new crew and fence sitters stay silent until McConnell decides he has enough D and R votes to pass her and ‘allow’ some Senators a courtesy NO vote, then they are lying cowards - I told Perdue this....told him if he doesn’t he’s lost my vote in 6 years.
Ping.
I have seen a few FR posts recently knocking Cruz, a tactic to put doubt in our conservative support - probably to promote their favorite candidate (Walker, Bush, Paul). I don’t care why Cruz continues to combat the left in favor of conservative values - even if it is some big deceitful attempt to put himself in the spotlight, as these posters have suggested. While I doubt this is his motivation, it sure is refreshing to hear someone articulate conservative values and the support of founders principles in me. I sure don’t hear any other POTUS 2016 candidates saying much to defend our Constitution and values. I sure as heck won’t vote for Bush if he is the RINOe GOP candidate in 2016.
I’m so mad at the Republican Party for their abandonment of the Constitution to be popular to throngs of illiterate, life sucking, irresponsible and frequently illegal Americans. I’ve stopped financial support, written letters, and called to no avail. They win a big election, then fail to listen to the voters, and yet ask me daily for financial support. What will it take for them to listen and get out of their progressive ivory towers? They are worse than Democrats who, at the least, identify themselves clearly as the enemy.
“Lynch Mob” - we think alike...
She’s black, and that terrifies them. No more complicated than that.
BLOCK HER WITH EXTREME PREJUDICE!!!!
I hold the opinion that Cruz is right where he needs to be for the time being. Along with standing fast against the destruction of the Constitution, he is forcing the Republicans to out themselves for the pathetic tools they are.
My exasperation knows no limits!
The Republicrats and their cousins are downright sickening in their posturing in front of C-Span cameras like chickens in a pen. They, together with Bathhouse Barry, are more of an enemy of America than ISIS, et al, and are driving this nation in the direction of a far right-wing third party.
I, for one, want no more of this central socialist government and the continuation and expansion of the Lyndon Bird Great Society crap.
Knowing that there are 750,000 civilians in the Department of Defense should be just another nail in the coffin of big government.
Cruz is making a lot of sense on this. His job as Senator in situations like this is to give his advice and consent to the nominee.
With the nominee saying, in effect, that she has no problem with nobama’s unconstitutional behavior I certainly concur with Cruz’s advice. He’s not consenting to this either and I agree completely.
Regarding the other Republicats, including senator linda from South Carolina, see my tag.
linda’s just following her established line here... anybody that voted for Sodamayor and Kagan for the SCOTUS, would have no problem voting for Lynch at DOJ.
Quite right because the RATS operate the same way. Just ask Robert Bork, Miguel Estrada and Janice Rogers Brown. They'll tell ya.
I despise the GOPe.
I thought that any single Senator could place a “hold” on any nomination.
I watch Jeff Flake's FB page and he is as big a waste of air as McCain is.
The page fascinates me, it's straight out of P. T. Barnum's workbook.
The SOB ought to be writing ads for snake oil.
Republicans just don't get it.
My two Senators (AZ) are a disgrace.
Do not behave like other patriots who wrote "there's not a dime's worth of difference" between Obama and Bush/McCain/Romney, becoming a silent partner of the Obama's team's plan to destroy the United States as a bastion of Judeo-Christian values and fundamentally shape the world in his own image and that of his father. There is a great deception in the air, so much so that Obama was elected twice, even by the State of Virginia (let that sink in).
The opposition is demoralized at times, and quits. Vote for the candidates with the best hope of thwarting the chief evil of our time. If one waits for Messiah to campaign for votes and lead to electoral victory, one will be oft disappointed. For our generation, pray, vote Republican (Cruz or Walker in primary for example), and Republicans in the general. Dereliction of duty by the voters gave us a Muslim President who is fundamentally changing America.
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