Posted on 12/07/2007 2:59:21 PM PST by Andy'smom
DES MOINES, Iowa - Republican Mitt Romney denies any responsibility for hiring illegal immigrants as workers at his home, insisting it was the fault of contractors and calling for tighter federal guidelines to verify the status of workers.
Asked by a reporter today if he shouldn’t go the "extra mile" because of his business background and his strong advocacy of clamping down on illegal immigration in his presidential bid, the former Massachusetts governor shot back: "And what’s the extra mile? So for instance, if I go to a restaurant, do I make sure all the waiters there are all legal?"
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonherald.com ...
"NASHUA - In a flier that arrived in the mailboxes of New Hampshire Republicans this week, former governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts accuses three of his opponents of being soft on illegal immigration, as a fourth - former governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas - sounded a tougher tone yesterday on the issue.
The glossy mailer features an image of an American flag in the hazy backdrop behind a chain-link fence alongside assertions that former mayor Rudy Giuliani of New York, Senator John McCain of Arizona, and former senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee supported amnesty, benefits, and protections for illegal immigrants.
Representatives of the three campaigns said the document misrepresented their records on the issue, which polls suggest is of paramount importance to Republican primary voters.
"Mitt Romney's already changed his own position on illegal immigration, so it should come as no surprise that he's trying to change everybody else's position as well," Giuliani spokeswoman Maria Comella said in a statement yesterday.
"Romney has a record of twisting the truth about his own immigration record and is the last person to be criticizing anybody else on immigration," said Karen Hanretty, spokeswoman for Thompson.
The pamphlet did not mention the newly ascendant Huckabee, who has been criticized elsewhere by rivals for his 2005 proposal to let children of illegal immigrants apply for taxpayer-funded academic scholarships.
In a book published this year, Huckabee wrote that illegal immigrants should "pay a reasonable fine" for being here illegally and be able to apply for a "pathway to legal status and citizenship."
In a proposal released yesterday, Huckabee appeared to take a harder-line position, proposing a 120-day window in which illegal immigrants must register with the US government and return to their home country.
The individuals could then apply to immigrate without being penalized for their earlier illegal status. But those who do not return to their home country voluntarily would be not be allowed to apply for 10 years.
Huckabee, the last of the leading GOP contenders to unveil an immigration plan, also pledged to build a fence on the Mexico border by 2010, increase the number of border patrol agents, punish employers who hire illegal immigrants, and create a system to verify citizenship.
Romney's campaign had sent out a mailer to Iowa voters earlier in the year drawing contrasts with only McCain's position on immigration.
"We've heard all this before," McCain told reporters as he examined the new pamphlet while campaigning Thursday in New Hampshire, which holds its primary on Jan. 8."
The Boston Herald isn’t liberal. Romney has shown an error in judgment with regard to this issue. Denying it may make his supporters feel better, but it doesn’t change the fact that Mitt now looks even more like a lightweight to everyone else.
What glorious spin. Are you sure you're not with the Hillary Clinton campaign?
You are obviously referring to the EXACT same incident in which the contractor employed (an) illegal?
I ask again. Do you swear you have never ever been served food in a restaurant that employed an illegal immigrant?
Can you put your hand on the Bible and swear you have never ever done business with a company that has employed illegal immigrants?
If not, then perhaps you ARE with the Hillary campaign.
You owe ansel12 an apology.
Bullying other posters isn’t going to change anyone’s mind.
Get a clue dude and quit faking.
For about eight years, Rosales said, he worked on and off landscaping the grounds at Romney’s home, occasionally getting a “buenos dias” from Romney or a drink of water from his wife, Ann.
“She is very nice,” said Rosales, 49.
About 6 miles away in Copado, a 37-year-old man who recently returned to Guatemala from the United States told a similar story, describing long days tending Romney’s 2 1/2-acre grounds.
“They wanted that house to look really nice,” said the worker, who asked to remain anonymous. “It took a long time.”
As Governor Mitt Romney explores a presidential bid, he has grown outspoken in his criticism of illegal immigration. But, for a decade, the governor has used a landscaping company that relies heavily on workers like these, illegal Guatemalan immigrants, to maintain the grounds surrounding his pink Colonial house on Marsh Street in Belmont.
The Globe recently interviewed four current and former employees of Community Lawn Service with a Heart, the tiny Chelsea-based company that provides upkeep of Romney’s property. All but one said they were in the United States illegally.
The employees told the Globe that company owner Ricardo Saenz never asked them to provide documents showing their immigration status and knew they were illegal immigrants.
“He never asked for papers,” said Rosales, who said he had paid smugglers about $5,000 to take him across the US-Mexican border and settled in Chelsea.
The workers said they were paid in cash at $9 to $10 an hour and sometimes worked 11-hour days.
Romney never inquired about their status, they said.
In addition to maintaining the governor’s property, they also tended to the lawn at the house owned by Romney’s son, Taggart, less than a mile away on the same winding street.
Asked by a reporter yesterday about his use of Community Lawn Service with a Heart, Romney, who was hosting the Republican Governors Association conference in Miami, said, “Aw, geez,” and walked away.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.