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Tough Guy on Immigration?
FactCheck.org ^ | November 9, 2007 | Viveca Novak and Jess Henig, with Emi

Posted on 11/09/2007 6:22:08 PM PST by Doofer

Romney puffs up his record.

Summary

Mitt Romney casts himself as tough on illegal immigration in a new ad in which he says that, as Massachusetts governor, "I authorized the State Police to enforce immigration laws." He doesn't mention that his order never took effect. It came in the closing days of his administration and was rescinded by his successor, as we wrote back in August.

He also promises, "As president, I'll . . . cut funding for sanctuary cities." Maybe so, but as governor he took no action against several such towns in his state.

We find Romney misleading on both counts.

Analysis

Romney's ad began airing Nov. 1 and has run in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Cops on the Case

Romney claims he put state troopers on the trail of illegals in his state.

Romney: As governor, I authorized the state police to enforce immigration laws.

Well, yes. But, as we noted in August, he didn't do so until he had less than a month left in his term. He was already considering running for president, and the new governor-elect was expected to rescind the arrangement.

Romney began talking about giving troopers the power to make arrests on immigration charges earlier in 2006, but he didn't sign an agreement with the federal government - a necessary condition for that authority to be granted - until Dec. 13 of that year.

Romney was scheduled to leave office Jan. 4, 2007. Democrat Deval Patrick, who had won the race to succeed Romney, had already said the program was a "bad idea" because troopers were busy enough as it was.

Sure enough, Patrick rescinded the agreement within his first week in office so troopers could "focus on enforcing Massachusetts laws." The policy never had a chance to take effect, because those troopers chosen to carry it out hadn't yet begun a required six-week training course.

Gimme Shelter

Romney shifts to promise-making mode as he continues:

Romney: As President, I'll oppose amnesty, cut funding for sanctuary cities and secure our borders.

Romney might well get tough on sanctuary cities in the future, but he didn't when he was governor.

During his tenure, at least four Massachusetts cities enacted or renewed legislation declaring themselves sanctuaries for illegal immigrants. Brookline and Cambridge reaffirmed their longtime status as sanctuary cities in so many words.

Somerville and Orleans didn't officially deem themselves "sanctuaries," but Somerville affirmed its "long-standing policies in support of all immigrants," while Orleans forbade city officials from turning in illegal immigrants without probable cause.

We asked Romney's campaign if he had acted against these cities, but they didn't provide us with any examples. As far as we were able to determine in our own research, Romney made no attempts to penalize, censure, or cut funding to them.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; aliens; election; elections; immigrantlist; immigration; mitt; muttromney; romney; willard
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To: Leisler

Excellent writing. Keep it up. You are top class.


61 posted on 11/09/2007 8:13:53 PM PST by AmericanInTokyo (Visit this thread 1-hour from now. In that time, an average of 416.6 more ILLEGALS will be in the US)
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To: TheLion
Reagan didn’t so much change as evolve. You can plot a straight line of ever more and clearer conservatism, beginning in his 30’s.

As to research as to Mitt being conservative, there isn’t any. No speeches, letters, acts, books. His father was what we would call a Rockefeller or liberal Republican. He grew up in a moderate to liberal family. So, we have a man, now 60, who grew up in a liberal family, lived in a liberal state, in a liberal town, that was pro womens rights, gay rights ordering, a big taxer and spender, and he's a conservative? Yeah.

62 posted on 11/09/2007 8:19:49 PM PST by Leisler (RNC, RINO National Committee. Always was, always will be.)
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To: no-to-illegals
We are making some progress. Judges seem to be going our way. Talk radio and the Internet seem to be pulling back the curtain. It’s just that the vehicle of change, the Republican party is so shop keeperish, so afraid of ideas, so marginals in it’s approach.

This is understandable because few Republicans have bothered to educate themselves.

We are a big county, the stakes are serious, going slow isn’t the worst thing. Besides, I’ve come to believe that the dying off of holders of old ideas is the most effective change agent. We’ll just have to do what we can, when we can and keep our spirits up and ready for any opportunity.

63 posted on 11/09/2007 8:27:45 PM PST by Leisler (RNC, RINO National Committee. Always was, always will be.)
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To: Leisler
What else you got?

How about Endicott Peabody? That's pronounced end-eh-kit pee bdee.

64 posted on 11/09/2007 8:34:52 PM PST by trane250
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To: Leisler
maybe you should run for office....I agree, fresh new ideas are America's lifeblood.....start small in your quest and then hit the national scene.....America should be slow and methodical at this point....along the line of Speak Softly but Carry a Big Stick. I realize a democrat said that... but sometimes there is a Harry in the cesspool of DC, at just the right time.
65 posted on 11/09/2007 8:35:34 PM PST by no-to-illegals (God Bless Our Men and Women in Uniform, Our Heroes. And Vote For Mr. Duncan Hunter, America! TLWNW)
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To: trane250
Heard of him, but before my time. Howie Carr mentions him every now and then. I suppose Governor Weld was sort of from the same Mass political strain.
66 posted on 11/09/2007 8:44:50 PM PST by Leisler (RNC, RINO National Committee. Always was, always will be.)
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To: no-to-illegals
Never has the common man had access to his fellows, so cheaply as with the Internet. Not since the small city states. I don’t think it’s going to be good for the old thinkers. They know it. Heck even Trent Lott said something about getting back at bloggers.

Interesting times.

67 posted on 11/09/2007 8:48:25 PM PST by Leisler (RNC, RINO National Committee. Always was, always will be.)
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To: TheLion
Romney was one of the first Governors to get state police envolved with immigration. This issue has only recently become huge!

You win the whopper of the day award. The fool brought it up just before he left office and he only did it for show and tell. The police never ever did anything.

68 posted on 11/09/2007 8:55:26 PM PST by org.whodat (What's the difference between a Democrat and a republican????)
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To: org.whodat

Who else did it then?


69 posted on 11/09/2007 9:00:27 PM PST by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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To: Doofer

What a dump truck load of bullsh*t from this guy.


70 posted on 11/09/2007 9:19:32 PM PST by HANG THE EXPENSE (Defeat liberalism, its the right thing to do for America.)
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To: Dane
Immigration didn't work for the GOP in last Tuesday's election Virginia election and the democrats know it, but like the definition of insanity of doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result, the blowhard kneejerk wing of the GOP still uses the same tactics.

Immigration enforcement didn't hurt republicans in Pennsylvania...Hazelton's mayor overwhelmingly won re-election, and our superior court judge who was slammed all over the media for daring to speak out on illegal immigration was retained in office.

-------------------

11:42 p.m.: And from the AP: HAZLETON, Pa. - Mayor Lou Barletta, a Republican who gained national prominence by targeting illegal immigrants living in this small city, easily won re-election Tuesday to a third term.

He defeated a Libertarian candidate, John Medashefski, a coffee shop owner who argued the city should drop its effort to push through a law targeting illegal immigrants.

With 82 percent of precincts reporting, Barletta had 2,593 votes, or 89 percent, compared with Medashefski's 323 votes, or 11 percent.

In the primary, Barletta also won the Democratic nomination as a write-in candidate, easily defeating a comeback bid by a former mayor and leaving himself with no Democrat to face in the general election.

Last year, Barletta pushed through a law that targeted landlords who rented to illegal immigrants and businesses that employed them in this city of 30,000. The law, emulated by dozens of towns around the nation, was struck down by a federal judge as unconstitutional. The judge said states and municipalities cannot regulate immigration.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07310/831660-366.stm?cmpid=earlyreturns.xml

Judge wants change in federal treatment of ‘illegal aliens’

A state Superior Court judge called for a grassroots effort to change federal laws which he said currently allow legal immigrants and U.S. citizens to be prosecuted for unlawful activity, but prohibits prosecution of “illegal aliens.” “It’s happening in communities like Gettysburg and Shenandoah and Tamaqua,” Judge Correale “Corry” F. Stevens told members of the Adams County Republican Committee Thursday evening at the county ag center, “and it could happen in Black Horse Tavern and Aspers and Zora.” For example, he said state police stopped a van for speeding on an interstate and detained the four “illegals” they found inside. “They called ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and they were told, ‘Let them go,’” Stevens said. “The policemen had no choice.”

http://www.americanconservativedaily.com/2007/05/02/

71 posted on 11/09/2007 9:34:50 PM PST by ellery (I don't remember a constitutional amendment that gives you the right not to be identified-R.Giuliani)
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To: NordP

Yes, Glen does a TERRIFIC job, and he too, is a strong patriot, like Duncan Hunter.

I’m passing along the You-tube video to others, and I told folks about the interview earlier.

It was such a great interview, I wish every one in the country heard it!


72 posted on 11/09/2007 9:52:27 PM PST by Sun (Duncan Hunter: pro-God/life/borders, understands Red China threat, NRA A+rating! www.gohunter08.com)
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To: Sun
I was ready to believe Romney on the life issue, for example, as people do change their minds, but Romney has changed his mind about so much stuff.

I believed him at first. When I heard about his lifetime varmint-hunting fudge, I soured on him a lot. Then I started to look into his record, and was very surprised to learn that he's even flipped on fiscal issues:

Romney Supports Tax Cut He Once Mocked as Cut for Fat Cats. In 1996, Mitt Romney ran ads against Steve Forbes' flat tax plan, saying he "will not support a specific proposal unless it taxes investment income." Romney's ads asserted that the Forbes plan to eliminate taxes on dividends, interest and investment profit and institute a 17% tax on wages that would result in huge tax cuts for the "Kennedys, Rockefellers, and Forbes." The ad said, "It's a tax cut for fat cats." [BostonGlobe, 1/21/96; Hotline On-Call, 3/28/07]

Mitt Romney 2003: Refused to Publicly Endorse Bush Tax Cuts. "Romney refused to endorse tax cuts at the heart of President Bush's economic program in 2003. Romney's spokesperson said that it's 'just not a state matter." [Boston Globe, 4/11/03]

73 posted on 11/09/2007 9:59:46 PM PST by ellery (I don't remember a constitutional amendment that gives you the right not to be identified-R.Giuliani)
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To: ellery

Very interesting. I wish more voters would do their research before voting.


74 posted on 11/09/2007 10:24:52 PM PST by Sun (Duncan Hunter: pro-God/life/borders, understands Red China threat, NRA A+rating! www.gohunter08.com)
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To: ellery

Typically when one is liberal one thing, they are usually liberal on a lot! (Including both fiscal and moral issues)!..


75 posted on 11/09/2007 10:27:19 PM PST by JSDude1 (When a liberal represents the Presidential Nominee for the Republicans; THEY'RE TOAST)
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To: TheLion
Who else did it then?

Well it sure couldn't have been the mittwit he was gone to often on one of his hunting trips.

76 posted on 11/10/2007 5:13:54 AM PST by org.whodat (What's the difference between a Democrat and a republican????)
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To: TheLion
Of course the author has an anti-Mitt agenda!

Duh. You are not very quick are you?

The author obviously knows what Mitt is all about, a liberal trying to disguise himself as a conservative.

His agenda is to reveal what Mitt really is.

77 posted on 11/10/2007 2:29:22 PM PST by JRochelle (I think marriage should be between a man and woman, and a woman, and a woman. Mitt Romney)
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To: Sun

“That’s why I doubt him. Conservatives, including pro-lifers, have been burned, so we need to be very, very careful.”

If you really think about it, Reagan’s picks didn’t well...nor did Bush Sr...

Most people here will not say either were ill-intent or pro-choice, but it happened. Granted they were more careful with their picks, we’d not have to concern ourselves one bit.

I really wish two things: Reagan picked better justices, and he didn’t pick Bush as his running mate. Someone more conservative would have really helped us in the long-run. Less of a chance of Bill getting the position...and we’d have congress still...mostly likely.


78 posted on 11/10/2007 8:43:38 PM PST by Rick_Michael (The Anti-Federalists failed....so will the Anti-Frederalists)
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To: Sun

Ohh....and add to 78...no amnesty by Reagan.


79 posted on 11/10/2007 8:44:53 PM PST by Rick_Michael (The Anti-Federalists failed....so will the Anti-Frederalists)
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To: Rick_Michael

Reagan would be the first one to say he was not perfect, and no one is. But after Reagan and other Republican presidents made mistakes, the general public was really watching President Bush, and we did end up with a couple of good justices.

btw, here’s an excerpt of Mark Levin’s take on Ronald Reagan:

“Moreover, Reagan did all he could as president to follow through on his pro-life position. He instituted his Mexico City policy, preventing the use of federal funds for abortions abroad. His administration was directed to deny funds, wherever it could, for abortions. He was also part of an effort, led by Jesse Helms in the Senate, to amend the Constitution. There weren’t enough votes, but they tried.

Ignoring all of this, Krauthammer says Reagan gave us Justices O’Connor and Kennedy, which, of course, is true. But he had no idea where they stood on abortion, or how they would rule. Rightly or wrongly, he set no issue-specific litmus test for his judges. But we know he didn’t appoint them because he thought they would endorse abortion from the bench. On the contrary — they left the impression with those who vetted them that they were “originalists” and, as it turned out, they mislead everyone.”

http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=M2JiMmZhZTQ5NzI5YzYyOGQ5MGNkYWY5M2YzMjYzZGI=


80 posted on 11/10/2007 9:05:09 PM PST by Sun (Duncan Hunter: pro-God/life/borders, understands Red China threat, NRA A+rating! www.gohunter08.com)
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