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
Very much a Hill-Knowlton type gal.
I freaking hate that. One question...and zooooooom, there gone. No answer! It’s funny yes, but it really gets old (lmao)
I think an even dozen is about right, with maybe 3 screen names per each.
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I wonder how long before JimRob figures it out and calls in the VKs.
Hey if the white house is reading this thread, If you want to win the next election end the income tax.
It was a simple question requiring only a “yes” or “no” answer.
Wonder why that was so hard for that one? ;o)
Surely you're not suggesting that The President of the USA was flat out lying, and intentionally deceiving the American people, when he signed a bill to build some 700 miles of fencing last year. Cause if he actually did such a contemptuous thing we'd have to be crazy to believe anything he says on the matter now.
Please. No, I’ve never done this (blogging) before, have NO ulterior motives, and feel bad for people who are so utterly lost.
Heh. I live in Northeastern upstate NY - in the Adirondacks and close to the Canadian border - and I consider myself as living in a rich target environment for Islamists. ;)
The same feds who can't turn out a passport in THREE MONTHS....
But who sent automatic visa extensions to the 9-11 hijackers, six months after 9-11, when they were the most infamous dead terrorists in history.
lol...shaking head. I think that makes 4 today. I was whining to you on the Levin thread about 3 earlier this morning :) Couldn’t get off the thread fast enough!
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One would hope so.
Oooookay.
What surprises me is the heavy handedness in so many of the suspect posts.
One would expect a more thoughtful and finessed approach from “Professional” provocateurs.
I’m glad you and others are so vigilent.
There are some here who need more “exposure”.
I have to go for a while, but will check this thread ASAP.
Happy hunting! ;o)
I’ve never been so found :) It’s me...it’s really really me! (lol)
funneling money into a worthless plane
The liberals only wish.
They tried a smear job on him once before and the paper
was blown out of the water with facts.
I count about 5. It's the same old talking points over and over.
To be fair, some people here really do believe anything the president does or says is correct.
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