Posted on 06/14/2007 11:16:52 AM PDT by kristinn
A spokeman for the Bush administration sent an e-mail to Jim Robinson and myself confirming the authenticity of a post on Free Republic this afternoon regarding the immigration bill currently before the Senate as having been posted on behalf of the White House.
The spokesman, Nicholas Thompson, works for the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives. The Politico reported yesterday that Thompson and Kerrie Rushton, associate directors in the Office of Strategic Initiatives who work under Karl Rove, would be engaging the blogosphere on the immigration bill.
Thompson's post is on the thread titled Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill, a vanity posted by philman_36. Thompson posted at comment #53.
Thompson's e-mail to Free Republic included a brief introduction and the text of his posted comment:
Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that I just posted a response to the post "Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill."
The White House appreciates the opportunity to respond on Free Republic.
Response:
I would like to point out that the Secretary is authorized to reduce or mitigate penalities against employers who in good faith are trying to comply with the law. Certainly, we understand that not all employers knowingly hire illegal immigrants; this will remain the case, especially before the bill’s new secure documentation requirements are fully phased in. We do not seek to wrongly penalize honest employers who unknowingly hire illegal immigrants, therefore we reserve the right to reduce or mitigate their penalties if the employer can show good faith compliance in following the law.
For those employers who do knowingly hire illegal immigrants, please know that we intend to penalize these employers strongly, and the Administration has already stepped up these penalties in the last couple of years. For example, a 2005 program, “Operation Rollback,” assessed $15,000,000 in civil fines to employers, an amount greater than the sum of administrative fines collected in the previous eight years and was the largest worksite enforcement penalty in US history. In the first quarter of FY07, criminal and civil forfeitures have totaled $26,700,000 for employers.
As a reminder of what’s in the bill, fines for hiring an illegal worker are $5,000 maximum per illegal worker for the first offense, $10,000 maximum per illegal worker for the second, $25,000 maximum per illegal worker for the third , and $75,000 maximum per illegal worker for the fourth. In addition, the bill increases the maximum criminal penalty for a pattern or practice of unlawful hiring twenty-five-fold, from $3,000 to $75,000, and would impose a prison term of up to six months. This represents a significant increase in fines for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
Nicholas Thompson
White House Office of Strategic Initiatives
bump
At this point, who cares what the White House says, about anything?
That was to Yankee Dutch.... Did you think I meant CM?
You are absolutely right.
The word “Visigoths” comes to mind.
Sadly...
Sleep well!
Nitey nite.
Very well said. Did you get an answer?
NO...I knew of whom you were speaking. ;o)
grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...;0)
Watch Out !!! He’s Gunna BITEY !!
I’ve been here a lot longer than you. If you don’t like my posts quit posting to me so I don’t have to answer you.
You do not even understand what I am saying and I will not repeat it again.
I haven’t read all these yet but I am highly surprised. The framework is in place looks like. I will need to read further.
Surprised I have heard nothing about it here.
Oh...stop it.
Who cares how long you have been here?
Good grief...I thought that wasn’t an issue anymore.
There are many SMART and RIGHT FReepers who’ve signed up in the past six months.
There is a forum that doesn’t put any weight on sign up dates.
I suggest you join them...not because of your posts, but because you are using your longevity as a weapon.
That’s just tacky.
“I will not repeat it again.”
I’m not a gambler, but if I were, I’d wager that would be impossible for you.
“If you don’t like my posts quit posting to me so I don’t have to answer you.”
“I’ve been here a lot longer than you.”
Yep, and to hear the things you have to say (shaking head).
What’s happened here is you’ve found your environment to be uncomfortable. It’s real easy. You do one of two things. You change THE environment, or You change environment. If you can’t see how many posters you’ve offended on this thread, then you truely are not capable of keeping a pulse on a situation. You are not going to change the environment here at FR, no matter how hard you try. I’m trying to save you some agony of being miserable, and simply sharing this misery with those around you. Negativity can indeed be contagious.
I'm glad to see you are reading now.
It's been here, and the one for whom I voted twice is doing everything in his power to further it.
I've always enjoyed your posts, and I know you to be thoughtful, and smart.
I believe in you, and appreciate the fact that you are open minded.
LOLOL!
How is it reform, if it is unconstitutional, un-American, financially inept, security deficient and pro-bigot?
the sad thing is that this government is so willing to throw jobs away out of the country, then bring cheap labor in to prevent Americans from having jobs at home.
It is like a cruel joke, but I do believe their ultimate goal is to destroy our nation.
Howdy!
Is that one of those questions that I just sort of...well...not ask (lol)?
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