Johanns Flip-Flops on Immigration
May 29, 04:24 PM CST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 29, 2008
LINCOLN, Neb. – In a story originally run in the Grand Island Independent on Thursday, U.S. Senate candidate Mike Johanns outlined his new views on immigration. The plan he articulates in that story is drastically different than the one for which he campaigned as President Bush’s Secretary of Agriculture.
Under President Bush, Mike Johanns backed a bill that would have granted a path to legal status to millions of residents currently residing in the United States illegally [Omaha World-Herald, 9/20/2007]. He was not quiet in his support; Johanns actively campaigned around the country and believed “very, very strongly” in Bush’s proposed reform and considered it an “efficient pipeline to a labor supply” of foreign workers [Johanns remarks in Washington, 2/16/2008, Johanns remarks in Anaheim, 3/3/2006]. Johanns has now done a 180 and says that such amnesty plans cause continued immigration problems.
“In less than a year, Johanns has taken drastically opposite positions on the immigration issue –– the consummate flip-flop,” said Steve Achelpohl, Chairman of the Nebraska Democratic Party. “It’s impossible to know what Johanns stands for, other than that he goes whichever way the political winds are blowing. Either Johanns was fooling people as he stumped for Bush’s amnesty plan or he is trying to get elected by fooling Nebraskans now. Either way, Johanns owes Nebraska voters an explanation.”
Mike Johanns served as Secretary of Agriculture under President Bush from 2005 to 2007 after leaving his post as Governor of Nebraska. He resigned from Bush’s cabinet to seek Nebraska’s open Senate seat.
– by Eric Van Horn | Send this to a friend
