ROMNEY AND SANCTUARY CITIES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Press Office
November 28, 2007

ROMNEY AND SANCTUARY CITIES

REALITY CHECK:

AS GOVERNOR, MITT ROMNEY ALLOWED SANCTUARY CITIES IN MASSACHUSETTS Cambridge, Orleans, And Brewster

Cambridge, Massachusetts, Re-declared Itself A Sanctuary City On May 8, 2006. (Yvonne Abraham, "City's Sanctuary Status Mocked," Boston Globe, 7/5/06)

A Congressional Research Service Report Listed Both Cambridge And Orleans As Sanctuary Cities. (Lisa M. Seghetti et.al., "Enforcing Immigration Law: The Role of State and Local Law Enforcement," Congressional Research Service, RL32270, 11/14/06)

A November 2003 Resolution Passed In Brewster, Massachusetts Forbids Town Officials From "Enforcing Immigration Matters."
(Town Resolution, http://www.bordc.org/detail.php?id=197, accessed 10/1/07)

ROMNEY'S RHETORIC AND RECORD

RHETORIC At A Recent Presidential Debate, Romney Claimed That He Fought Sanctuary Cities By Having His State Troopers "Enforce The Law." "In my case, as soon as I learned about a program in the department of ICE that we could have our state police authorized to enforce the law, I did just that so that in sanctuary cities in our state -- and nonsanctuary cities -- the law would be enforced." (Mitt Romney, GOP Presidential Debate, Durham, NH, 9/7/07)

RECORD In Reality, Romney Did Not Seek To Do This Until June Of 2006. "Gov. Mitt Romney is seeking an agreement with federal authorities that would give Massachusetts state troopers expanded powers to arrest undocumented immigrants for immigration violations. The Republican governor has instructed legal counsel to contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement to begin the process that would give state police a way of 'finding and detaining illegal aliens in the course of ordinary business,' Romney said." ("Mass. State Troopers May Soon Arrest Undocumented Immigrants," Associated Press State & Local Wire, 6/21/06)

And Massachusetts State Police Weren't Actually Allowed To Enforce Immigration Laws Until December 13, 2006, With Nineteen Days Left In Romney's Term.
"Governor Mitt Romney signed a controversial agreement yesterday with federal authorities that will allow specially trained Massachusetts State troopers to arrest suspected illegal immigrants and charge them with violating US immigration laws." (Jonathan Saltzman, "Romney Ok's Pact So Troopers Can Arrest Illegal Immigrants," Boston Globe, 12/14/06)

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FRED THOMPSON: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON HUCKABEE's IMMIGRATION CLAIMS

Supported amnesty bill at the federal level.
Supported President Bush's immigration plan and claimed that opposition to Bush's proposal was driven by "racism or nativism" and that it wasn't amnesty. (Ralph Hallow, "Huckabee 'Serious' About Presidency," Washington Times, 5/17/06)

Championed an effort to give illegal immigrants taxpayer-funded college scholarships and in-state tuition.
Championed an effort in Arkansas to give in-state tuition at state colleges and taxpayer-funded scholarships to illegal immigrants, similar to the DREAM Act proposal at the federal level. (Laura Kellams, "Senators research U.S. law on aliens," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/27/05)

Led an effort in opposition to increased citizenship verification procedures for voting and public benefits and called the legislation "race-baiting".
When Republican state senators in Arkansas proposed legislation modeled after Arizona's Proposition 200 [to require proof of citizenship for voting and public benefits], "Huckabee described it as 'inflammatory ... race-baiting ... demagoguery.' He said the bill, which seeks to forbid public assistance and voting rights to illegal immigrants, 'inflames those who are racist and bigots and makes them think there's a real problem. But there's not.'" ("Governor says anti-illega ls measure could scare off companies like Toyota," Associated Press, 2/3/05)

Opposed a raid on an Arkansas employer that utilized illegal immigrants.
Opposed a raid on illegal immigrants in an Arkansas poultry plant even though calls to his office were "about 1,000 to one" against his stance. (Melissa Nelson, "Huckabee Risks Political Fortunes To Denounce Immigration Raid," Associated Press, 8/5/05)

Championed the effort to open a Mexican Consulate in Arkansas to issue identification cards to legal and illegal residents.
Helped lead the effort to open a Mexican Consulate in Little Rock to issue Matricula Consular cards to Mexicans living in the U.S. (including those in the U.S. illegally). Many banks, including some in Arkansas, accept the card as a valid form of identification. (Jon Gambrell, "Ark. Candidates Criticize Mexican Matricula Cards," AP, 10/18/06)

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HUCKABEE'S CLAIM ON HIS RECORD ON IMMIGRATION:


His plan to give illegal in-state tuition was for illegal immigrants who had been in Arkansas public schools for many years.

· Huckabee: "If you're an A student from 5 or 6, you're an exceptional student..."



FRED THOMPSON: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

Reality: There was a three year requirement to receive in-state tuition.


"Any tuition rate that is granted to residents of Arkansas shall be granted on the same terms to all persons, regardless of immigration status, who have attended a secondary educational institution in Arkansas for at least three (3) years and who have either graduated from an Arkansas high school or received a general education diploma in the state."

http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2005/public/HB1525.pdf

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GIULIANI VS GIULIANI ON
NO NEW TAX PLEDGES


Tonight: Giuliani said he would PLEDGE not to raise taxes.


HOWEVER

In September 2007, Giuliani Said His Record As Mayor Shows He Doesn't Need To Sign A Pledge Not To Raise Taxes And He CitedThe Constitution As The Only Pledge A President Should Take.

"It's a matter of principle. I think if you're president of the United States, you take one pledge: to uphold the Constitution of the United States. It is my intention to lower taxes. I have without any doubt of all the people running for president the strongest record of lowering taxes. I did it 23 times in a city that never lowered a tax before. Well over $9 billion. I lowered the personal income tax 25 percent, and I was collecting 40 percent more in revenues from the lower tax than the higher tax. I made supply-side economics work in a city that didn't understand it. And I ended up having a very positive impact on the economy of the city as the result of that. I lowered 23 different taxes in a city that had a city council with 45 Democrats and six Republicans. So my record is very, very strong as a tax cutter. But I only think a man running or a woman running for president should take one pledge, and that is to uphold the Con stitution of the United States." (Rudy Giuliani, GOP Presidential Debate, Durham, NH, 9/5/07)


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MITT, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT ABORTION

Yes, Romney has flipped on abortion, and we all know he says he's changed his mind

The problem is, he also says he has changed his mind on:

GAY RIGHTS
EMPLOYMENT NONDISCRIMINATION ACT
IMMIGRATION
2nd AMENDMENT
CAMPAIGN FINANCE
THE REAGAN LEGACY
BUSH TAX CUTS
GLOBAL WARMING
(And that's just a PARTIAL list)

Mitt, what do you really believe? And what will you believe tomorrow?
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HUCKABEE'S CLAIM TONIGHT ON HIS TAX RECORD:

"I cut taxes 90 times"
FRED THOMPSON: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

Increased Taxes 21 Times. Huckabee increased taxes 21 times, increasing tax revenue by almost $890 million. (Daniel Nasaw, "10-Year Record On Taxes Studied," Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 10/9/07)

The net tax increase under Huckabee was $505 million, adjusted for inflation and economic growth. (Daniel Nasaw, "10-Year Record On Taxes Studied," Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 10/9/07)
2003 Video of Huckabee begging the Legislature to send him a tax increase: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pLOC4krZI4
Transcript: "Again let me state what I've said privately as well as publicly.... I want to get it on the record again. There is a lot of support for a tax at the wholesale level for tobacco. That's fine with me. I will very happily sign that... Some have suggested the retail level of tobacco. If that ends up being your preference, I will accept that. Others have suggested a surcharge on the income tax. That's acceptable. I'm fine with that. Others have suggested perhaps a sales tax.. That's fine. Yet others have suggested a hybrid that would collect some moneys from any one or combination of those various ideas. If that's the plan that the H ouse and Senate agree upon, then you will have nothing but my profound thanks.''

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ROMNEY AND GAY RIGHTS

In 1994, Mitt Romney Ran To The Left Of Ted Kennedy On Gay Marriage

Romney Sent A Letter To Log Cabin Republicans In 1994 Saying He Would Go Further Than Kennedy On Gay Right Issues. (Micahael Luo, "Romney's Tone On Gay Rights Is Seen As Shift," New York Times, 9/8/07)

In The Same 1994 Letter, Romney Promised "More Effective Leadership Than My Opponent" On Gay Rights Issues. (Don Aucoin, "Gays Split In Governor's Race," The Boston Globe, 10/17/94)

1994, Romney Supported Passage Of A Federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act. (Josh Gerstein, "Victory On The Hill Within Reach For Gay Community," New York Sun, 11/28/06)

When Romney ran for Senate in 1994, he argued that only he had the credibility to effectively argue for causes on behalf of the gay community. (Christopher Muther, "Romney: I'll Be Better Than Ted For Gay Rights," Bay Windows, 8/25/94)

And Also In 2002

Romney Campaign Flyer

http://www.fred08.com/Virtual/Media/Romney_Flier_Pride_Weekend.gif

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