GOP boycotts Senate immigration hearing

GOP boycotts Senate immigration hearing
By Jordy Yager

Republicans on Tuesday boycotted a Democratic-led subcommittee hearing
on Arizona's controversial immigration bill.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), the ranking member of the subcommittee,
called the hearing "election-year theater." He said it would do
nothing to further attempts at reforming the country's immigration
system.




"This is not an attempt at having a sincere hearing on the merits,"
Cornyn said in a statement. "Unfortunately, the Democrat majority
seems to have embraced President Obama's 'mañana' approach to
immigration reform."

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) also said the hearing was "strictly political
theater" aimed at garnering publicity and trying to influence
Wednesday's oral arguments before the Supreme Court on the
constitutionality of the state measure.

"I will not participate in today's hearing because it is strictly
political theater," Kyl said in a statement. "The timing of the
hearing just one day ahead of the Supreme Court's review of the law
suggests that its purpose is either to influence the court's decision
or to garner publicity."

Kyl blasted Democrats on the committee for not conferring with their
Republican colleagues before slating the hearing, which was called by
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

"[It] further demonstrates that it is intended to be more of a
spectacle than a forum for learning anything useful for policymaking,"
Kyl said.

Former Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce (R), the architect of the
controversial law, testified before the subcommittee on Tuesday and
said none of the Republican senators had told him about their plans to
not attend the hearing. Pearce said he was "disappointed" that they
didn't show up.

None of the subcommittee's other Republicans, including Sens. Chuck
Grassley (Iowa), Orrin Hatch (Utah) or Jeff Sessions (Ala.), attended
Tuesday's hearing.

Schumer and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) were the only Democratic members
to attend. Sens. Patrick Leahy (Vt.), the chairman of the committee,
Dianne Feinstein (Calif.), Al Franken (Minn.) and Richard Blumenthal
(Conn.) also did not show up.

Schumer and Durbin took turns peppering Pearce, former Sen. Dennis
DeConcini (D-Ariz.), and Arizona state Sen. Steve Gallardo (D), with
questions about the statute for nearly two hours. The hearing was
entitled "Examining the Constitutionality and Prudence of State and
Local Governments Enforcing Immigration Law."

More:
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/223339-gop-boycotts-senate-immigration-hearing

--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy



--
Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy

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