Posted on 10/28/2006 8:43:06 PM PDT by CedarDave
ALBUQUERQUE -- The Republican Party is taking on the state in court to get drivers’ license records it wants to comb for the names of illegal immigrants.
Illegal immigrants with driver’s licenses could commit voter fraud, according to the GOP.
Republicans claim Gov. Bill Richardson's administration isn't providing the names of illegal immigrants who have New Mexico driver's licenses.
GOP officials said they want the names on the driver's licenses so they can check them against voter registration rolls and protect against potential voter fraud.
Nina Martinez, secretary for the state Republican Party, said the group submitted a request through the state's Inspection of Public Records act back in July.
Martinez said the party estimates there are at least 30,000 illegal immigrants with New Mexico driver's licenses.
Martinez said in August the state did release 150 pages of documents, but nearly all of them had information redacted by blacking it out.
“We wanted to have the information in the summer so we could run these names against the voter registration rolls,” Martinez said. “We had to sue now because we've basically gone through all the process where they’ve denied us and sent us 150 pages of redacted material.”
David Harwel, a spokesman for the state Taxation and Revenue Department has said in the past that federal law prevents the department from disclosing the names sought by the Republicans.
A spokesman for Richardson told KRQE News 13 that the Republican Party is just trying to politicize the issue before election day.
The Republican party said it has requested an emergency District Court hearing on the issue in Bernalillo County.
This is hugh!
Immigration debate wratchets up a notch or two.
The Dems and voter fraud? Golly, I am shocked. Next, your gonna tell me that LBJ displayed surgical scars in public.
Mexican nationals run the state. Whites are a clear minority. English is spoken by only about 60% of the population.
There is no enforcement of "illegal immigrant" law there...and there's no distinction between legal and illegal residents. None.
The Republican Party leadership in NM is largely worthless, thanks to Pete Domenici and other squishy moderates.
I haven't even seen a Dendahl for Governor bumper sticker. Have you?
" at least 30,000 illegal immigrants with New Mexico driver's licenses."
or alot more
This isn't the type of voter-fraud the media is interested in, even though its more real and genuine that the kinds hyped up by the Al Sharptons.
It will be portrayed as racism, of course.
It's about God D*** time!
To bad the court's are all controlled from Santa Fe.
And who cares? The tactic has been falsely fired so often that it's threadbare! Worn out and worthless. It's well past time that conservatives heave this phony accusation right back in their faces, whatever it takes.
We should be immune to this lame attack by now.
Fighting back! I love it.
"Illegal immigrants with driver’s licenses could commit voter fraud, according to the GOP."
Hypocrits who refuse to secure the border and enforce our immigration laws have no right then to concern and indignation over voter fraud.
Democrats doing the voter fraud that true Republicans don't want to do? Say it isn't so... ;)
How will the records prevent Fraud?
If the illegal posesses a valid NM license, it will not declare him illegal. Jaun Sanchez the illegal will be undistinguishable from Jesus Martinez the legal if both posess valid driver's licenses.
The fraud is buried and the illegal is rendered legal. Fait accompli
30,000 Illegal Immigrants with Driver's License?
Good grief, Charlie Brown. That's adults of driving age. How many of their families are getting welfare and free medical care?
Probably at least five to ten times that many, since most illegal aliens have no incentive to get a driver's license. If an illegal alien gets pulled over without a license, registration, or insurance, most police departments have made it to their policy to just let the illegal alien go, often without even so much as a citation if the illegal alien is at fault for a traffic accident. It is anarchy in the making.
Absolutely about time - they should have been going after fraud the first day after election, 2000!
I'm with you. My niece is a student at the University if New Hampshire, and she told me the voter fraud in 2004, just on that campus was rampant. Massachusetts cars all over the place. Kerry "won" the state by less than 1%. Don't tell me that was a legitimate victory. No way.
I hope these guys (GOP) are ready to go to war (finally) and curb illegal voting. If this election is as close as predicted, victories within the margin of may be numerous and should be challenged, as control may lie in the balance.
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