Tea party members upset at Capitol Hill and “Gang of Eight” immigration legislation have forced Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, on the defensive, after protesting outside his state offices on Tuesday.
“Not only might the legislation be bad policy, it has already gone outside the normal process,” the tea party group said in a statement, reported by Breitbart. The group blames Mr. Rubio for much of the bill’s forward momentum, calling him the “star spokesman for a secretive, small group working on a bill that purports to address illegal immigration and the entire U.S. immigration system as a whole.”
Members rallied at the senator’s offices in Florida on Tuesday in what was dubbed a “D.C. Intervention,” Breitbart said.
Mr. Rubio responded in a letter reported by Breitbart: “First, there is absolutely no truth to the idea that I will support any immigration legislation that is rushed through Congress in typical Washington fashion. Already, I have fought and continue to fight to secure commitments for greater transparency through committee hearings and mark-up sessions that will allow senators on the Judiciary Committee ample opportunities to review and amend any immigration legislation before it is considered by the full Senate.”
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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