McDonnell Lands Explosive Uppercut

Who saw this one coming? Holy smoke! Grab a Guinness, light up a cigar and read the letter Attorney General Bob McDonnell (R) sent out to the powers that be. We'll have no more whining from the peanut gallery about Republican leadership. Virginia has some remarkable men stepping into the ring and it is exciting as all get out!

The Press Release

09/05/07
McDonnell Letter Calls for Immediate Federal Action on Criminal Illegal Immigration

Letter Sent to President George W. Bush; Speaker Nancy Pelosi;
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

Richmond- Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell released a 5-page letter today calling on the federal government to immediately act to combat the growing criminal illegal immigration problem in the United States. The letter was sent to President George W. Bush; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Copied on the letter was the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Timothy Kaine; United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff; and the Virginia Congressional delegation.

A few quotes from THE letter. It ain't pretty.

I write on behalf of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia to ask that you take immediate action to address the issue of illegal immigration, particularly illegal immigrants who commit crimes. Any crime committed by an illegal immigrant is one too many, and the recent news coverage of murders, DUI-related deaths, and fraudulent identification document crimes perpetrated by illegal aliens is resulting in an increasingly concerned citizenry. The borders are not yet secure, the administration and enforcement of the immigration system is cumbersome and ineffective, and the public safety problems caused by criminal illegal aliens are growing. This is unacceptable.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

The federal government has put the states in an untenable postition: Congress has enaacted laws which are not properly enforced due to the understaffing of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). At the same time, Congress has preempted enactment of state laws regulating emmployers who knowingly hire illegal aliens, and largely precluded states from enforcing federal immigration violations. It is intolerable that the federal government has failed to do its job, while severely limiting states from acting.

Watch out! He's got the Governor on the ropes.

I have repeatedly asked Virginia's Governor to exercise his authority to enter into agreements with ICE permitted by Section 287(g) of the 1996 Amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act, to permit limited state enforcement of federal immigration law concerning illegal aliens who commit serious crimes. The Governor has repeatedly declined to do so.

Whew! I haven't enjoyed a fight this much since Tom Daschle lost his Senate seat.

Other blogs at ringside:
blog.conservativa.com
update 09-06-07: bearing drift