Thompson stirs rivals with immigration plan

The Boston Globe ^ | October 24, 2007 | Michael Levenson

[2ndDivisionVet]

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson yesterday staked out one of the toughest plans on the campaign trail to curb illegal immigration, trying to reignite the issue among the GOP faithful who rose up in revolt against a more moderate approach in Congress earlier this year.

Highlighting what he believes are key vulnerabilities for his main rivals, Thompson called for stripping federal funds from cities and states that do not report illegal immigrants and criticized Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney for allowing so-called sanctuary cities in New York and Massachusetts.

The first principle of Thompson's plan is "No Amnesty," a clear shot at another rival, Senator John McCain of Arizona, who joined President Bush in trying unsuccessfully to push through a sweeping immigration overhaul bill that would have created a guest worker program and provided a path to possible citizenship for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country.

Thompson's plan provoked a new round of sparring among the contenders, underscoring that polls indicate that none of them has been able to emerge in the minds of Republican voters as the candidate best able to fix the broken immigration system.

Party officials in key primary states said yesterday that the candidate who can win voters' trust on immigration could make significant gains. Polls indicate that Republicans care more than Democrats about the issue and support a harder line against illegal immigrants.

"It's a very significant issue in America that few politicians are willing to tackle head-on, and when they do, they tackle it the wrong way," said Karen Hanretty, a Thompson spokeswoman. She said Thompson will trumpet his plan today in South Carolina, which holds the first Southern primary, on Jan. 19, and will address it Saturday in Iowa, which holds the first caucus, on Jan. 3.

[22cal]

Here's a compilation and detail of some questionable earmarks. I applaud his current openness in putting his name on his latest ones.

http://rightsfield.com/2007/08/24/duncan-hunters-63000000-boondoggle-put-to-bed/

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/light-shines-on-authors-of-earmarks-2007-06-08.html

http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=EarmarkToolkit.EarmarkNews&ContentRecord_id=b3e202f0-802a-23ad-4d41-ec8aaed381f1

http://sethhettena.com/blog/?p=29

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0606/060806cdam1.htm

I'd also like to know about the Wilkes connection, one of those in the Cunningham case. It is troublesome.

Contributions to chairmen

Since 1994, Wilkes and ADCS gave $40,700 in campaign contributions to Rep. Duncan Hunter, a San Diego Republican who now chairs the House Armed Services Committee. Hunter has acknowledged that he joined with Cunningham in 1999 to contact Pentagon officials who reversed a decision and gave ADCS one of its first big contracts, for nearly $10 million. Hunter's spokesman, Joe Kasper, said the congressman was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

Found at:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-11-29-cunningham-case_x.htm

 

[Eagle74]

“Duncan Hunter: Warrior, Statesman, Conservative”
With no support, no money, no traction, and no hope.