From the Harris campaign:
Zanesville, Ohio (April 6, 2006) – James Brodbelt Harris, CFA, a Reagan Republican and candidate for Congress (OH-18), remarks on Ney’s call to deport untold numbers of American citizens:
“Bob Ney’s xenophobia has crossed into un-American demagoguery endangering our republican principles. Like most Americans, Ney supports restrictions on an immigrant committing a misdemeanor by crossing our borders, but now, cornered by Federal investigators and desperate for cheap votes, Ney has crossed the border of civic decency by proposing to deport untold numbers of American children. Anyone born in this country is a native U.S. citizen no matter his religion or her background. In Ohio, we do not deport poor American children whether natives of West Virginia or any other state. In America, we do not deport American children born in this country and carrying U.S. citizenship.
The Republican immigration reform efforts to harden our borders, led by President Bush, Senator Frist, Speaker Hastert, and Senator McCain, deserve respect. Reasonable Americans can debate how best to serve American families and businesses, probably by enforcing current law, enacting tougher penalties for misdemeanor border crossings, securing our borders against terrorist infiltration, and providing for good, tough rules for temporary work visas or, for certain immigrants, applications for earned citizenship. Still, we mustn’t regulate our businessmen out of business with too much government red tape nor should we criminalize the Statue of Liberty, our best ambassador to the world.
We must recognize that immigration into the U.S. is not only a domestic political problem, but is also a massive foreign policy crisis whereby failed states with centuries of political tyranny and economic stagnation have created millions of economic refugees: the hopes of these global refugees to come to America validate our way of life and our economic system of trade and wealth creation, and challenge us to look outward to help other countries achieve political normalcy, protect property rights and legal rights, and grow their economies. We must have strong borders, regulated legal immigration, and strong penalties, but only desperate zealots or xenophobic despots would legislate that America deport American children with citizenship. Would millions of residents be rounded up by Federal troops? Would Ohio be home to deportation detention camps for millions of American children? Rooted in Ohio soil, I say: Never!
Ohio was America’s first new free state and was founded by Revolutionary War veterans and pioneers over two centuries ago. To cross the Ohio River has forever meant to enter a land of liberty, where freedom rocks and underground railways lead not to lingering fear but to liberty’s flight. Remember the Wright Brothers. Remember Neil Armstrong.
Ney’s pitiful campaign now trolls for votes among the fearful. Ohio’s economic stagnation, over-spending, and obese government policies have created an Ohio emigration crisis with young people, taxpayers, businessmen and the elderly departing our state, but in response, Ney’s nihilistic election strategy is to whip up hatred to deport American children. Ney crosses a bridge to a political nowhere when he demands that untold numbers of American children with U.S. citizenship be deported beyond our borders. Congressman, defend your remarks - to our President and to the Ohio Republican Party. Defend your unacceptable comments to America. You are a sitting American Congressman pledged to defend our Constitution, with liberty and justice for all American citizens, and yet you propose to deport untold numbers of American children holding U.S. Citizenship? Congressman, stop shaming our State.”
And from Brian Walsh, Ney's Press Secretary:
"Everytime James Harris sends out a press release - in this case, defending the flood of illegal immigration and attacking Congressman Ney's opposition to amnesty for illegals -- he only serves to secure more votes for Bob Ney on May 2nd."
I report, you decide...
