Posted on 03/26/2015 5:06:26 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
The Wall Street Journal’s Reid Epstein is up with a report that, if true — and it is well sourced — will prove very troubling for Scott Walker on the campaign trail. Epstein writes that Walker “told a private dinner of New Hampshire Republicans this month that he backed the idea of allowing undocumented immigrants to stay in the country and to eventually become eligible for citizenship.” That conflicts with statements the governor made as recently as three weeks ago that, in a reversal of his previously held position, he no longer supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship.
The report comes as Walker is working to position himself as the strongest conservative alternative to Jeb Bush, whose vulnerabilities with the Republican base include his support for comprehensive immigration reform, though not a path to citizenship, as well as to Florida senator Marco Rubio, who led the fight for the Gang of Eight bill in the Senate, but has since said he favors a border security-first approach to reform. Viewed in that light, the revelation about his remarks in New Hampshire may threaten to jeopardize his standing with the party’s rank-and-file-voters, among whom he has engendered tremendous goodwill since standing down public-sector unions and surviving a recall election in Wisconsin.
Walker spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski denied the Journal’s account. “We strongly dispute this account,” she said in a statement. “Governor Walker has been very clear that he does not support amnesty and believes that border security must be established and the rule of law must be followed. His position has not changed, he does not support citizenship for illegal immigrants, and this story line is false.”
After reports of his past support for a path to citizenship emerged in early February, Walker said that his view had changed. “I’m flat out saying it. Candidates can say that,” Walker told Fox News’s Chris Wallace, adding that “we need to secure the border” before ultimately moving toward a system of “legal immigration that works.”
Walker signed resolutions as Milwaukee County executive in 2001 and again in 2006 in support of comprehensive immigration reform, but said the Obama presidency and, in particular, the president’s lawlessness, had changed his view. That shift followed reporting, including here at National Review, on the Milwaukee County resolutions, which was at the time hotly contested by the Walker campaign, which said that the governor’s support for a path to citizenship was distinct from any support for amnesty.
Epstein says three separate sources present at a dinner in New Hampshire, where Walker allegedly made the remarks, confirmed his account. They also said Walker mocked Mitt Romney’s statement during the 2012 campaign that illegal immigrants should “self-deport.”
“We strongly dispute this account,” she said in a statement. “Governor Walker has been very clear that he does not support amnesty and believes that border security must be established and the rule of law must be followed. His position has not changed, he does not support citizenship for illegal immigrants, and this story line is false”.
We’ll see. This stated position is still fairly new. His position has changed, he said so himself. What they are worried about here is it makes it look like a flip flop flip. That he does not mean it when he says he will follow the rule of law if elected, enforcement means deportation for those who don’t leave voluntarily.
Why would a clear thinking individual with at least a room temperature IQ EVER be for amnesty?
“This month”, as in not sometime in the distant past. That is a problem. If Walker cannot be trusted to be honest and have same view in public as he does in private, to be candid, he has no place as a candidate. And supporting amnesty, that is a complete deal breaker. Guess he should settle in and enjoy his success as Wisconsin governor. Because, if true, I will not vote or support him any more than I would Bush, Rubio, Christy, and any other candidate that accepts and supports amnesty.
Scott Walker backs optional state holiday for union organizer César Chávez
He’d be an okay Secretary of Labor for President Cruz, I suppose.
Yes, what is amnesty? This doesn’t have to be a definition of “is” question. Amnesty, in my opinion, is any step short of deporting an illegal alien. Anything that legitimizes or allows their illegal presence in our country is amnesty. It is rewarding the lawlessness.
Money
I’ve been supporting Walker since he first ran for County Exec in Milwaukee. Until he flipped TO THE RIGHT SIDE, I never knew he was pro-amnesty. It was never one of his signature stances.
Walker isn’t my first pick but he was my second. Sure, this could all be BS to make him look bad but between this and the fact he hired a staffer who is a huge supporter of amnesty and open borders makes me very skeptical of his actual position.
I haven’t made up my mind on him yet but I’m now more cautious than excited.
There should be no new laws if they refuse to use the ones we have. Illegal aliens path to citizenship starts in their home country like everybody else. That’s the rule of law.
That is my take, Vet, exactly. It’s all for Jeb. Jeb is struggling until some of these hot wheels are taken down to level the field for him. National Review is not your dad’s magazine anymore. RIP, Buckley.
I’m a strong Sen Cruz supporter.
Gov. Walker is my backup choice but I have strong doubts on a few issues, immigration being the top one.
That said, if his camp is denying he said it and his accusers are refusing to identify themselves, then I’ll give Gov. Walker the benefit of the doubt.
Here’s the thing, though. This story will evolve. There were more than three people in the room. If Gov. Walker says it didn’t happen, how difficult will it be to trot out other attendees to confirm his version of events?
Either way, you can be sure more attendees, people willing to put their name to their version of what was said, will surface.
Not only that. Events like these always have a recorder going in a smart phone universe. A recording is almost certainly out there. Somewhere.
Probably is, I have been telling YOU ALL that Scott Walker isn’t really a conservative. Why choose a RINO over fear of Jeb..?
If Walker said this and there’s confirmation of it he’s toast. If not, you all better be prepared for a smear job on Cruz by Jeb supporters who are pulling out all the stops now to rescue his slowly sinking campaign.
Walker is not a bad guy but he’s no conservative. He’s a moderate Republican and fast becoming the GOPe’s fallback candidate as Jebbie crashes and burns.
After the many geysers Obama has wrought on importing third worlders + terrorists I cannot see how he will resonate without a strong enforcement position. Especially for the dixie states.
However the instate tuition ban in Wisconsin is very good.
Lord you just can’t help yourself bashing Governor Walker. Of course you would have been a Reagan basher in 1980 as well. You are a fraud. I can’t imagine that you hate Walker that much after all the incredible good legislation he has passed. He is heads and shoulders above every candidate out there. Sadly you will cause us to lose the election because of your stupidity which is obviously not curable.
It’s a start. I am sure that Governor Walker will be a million times better than Obama with regards to immigration. Some FREEPERS just personally hate Governor Walker because he is effective at getting things done. Many here would rather hear a good speech or some dumb statement about an issue they care about but their candidate can’t seem to resonate it, to get anything passed. You need to be persuasive and some candidates are NOT at all.
I have not read any of the above, although I can surmise most of it says that Scott Walker is bad because he once said something bout amnesty that could be construed either way. He is not a pure conservative.
I do not support candidates based on what they say, but on what they do. Scott Walker in the face of much adversity has stood up to unions and other liberal thugs in Wisconsin. For that I give him much kudos as he begins a quest for the US Presidency.
For god sakes folks, don’t base your support of any candidate on one aspect of their platform or any statements they make. There is no pure candidate.
Walker seems like he will go establishment. He is not head and shoulders above Cruz, I don’t know why you would say that.
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