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* Drudge’s reaction was completely expected…
* And these reacts were totally predictable…
“Today’s actions are just the latest in series of disconcerting moves by this Justice Department, including its handling of the Fast and Furious Operation, allowing nepotism in hiring, its questionable dismissal of voting rights cases and the politicization of decisions that benefit special interest groups,” Wolf said in a statement. “This may be the most disreputable Justice Department in modern history.”
“This back-door move by the Obama Administration to open Thomson and reject the will of Congress and the American people is dangerously irresponsible, and will be met with the full and unfettered opposition of the Appropriations Committee,” Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) said in a statement.
* Call me naive, but I thought this react by Speaker Boehner was just way out of line…
Speaker Boehner: Obama Administration’s Purchase of Thomson Prison a Backdoor Move to Import Terrorists Into America
“A majority of the American people and a bipartisan majority in Congress oppose bringing the terrorists imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay into the United States, yet the White House continues to take steps to move forward with its dangerous plan. The unilateral decision to purchase the Thomson Prison – even though Congress has repeatedly opposed the Obama administration’s effort to use taxpayer funds to do so – underscores the administration’s desire to move forward and bring these detainees to U.S. soil. House Republicans have kept our Pledge to America to keep the terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay out the United States, and we will continue to keep our pledge. President Obama owes the American people an explanation about how importing these dangerous terrorists and giving them the same rights as U.S. citizens will make us any safer. Republicans will continue to oppose this dangerous plan.”
Boehner has a member in a tight race in the Quad Cities area, Bobby Schilling, who wanted the state of Illinois to practically give away the Thomson prison to the federal government. So, now, according to Boehner’s logic, Schilling supports terrorists too?
Not good.
* US Sen. Mark Kirk’s reaction…
“Opening up Thomson Prison to federal inmates will bring more than 1,000 jobs and millions of dollars in new investments to this area and will alleviate the overcrowding in other maximum-security prisons thoughout the country. As long as no suspected terrorists from Guantanamo are moved here, I fully endorse the sale of Thomson to house federal inmates.”
That’s the reasonable Republican line. Good idea, just don’t move terrorists there. Got it.
* Durbin explained the work-around to the Tribune editorial board…
We’ve been hammering Wolf for months to get out of the way, to no avail. So our first question was, how did the administration get around him? Getting Wolf’s signature is “a tradition and a courtesy,” not a legal requirement, Durbin said. Second question, then: Why didn’t the president bigfoot Wolf a long time ago?
“We tried to be respectful,” said Durbin, who appealed to House Speaker John Boehner to intervene after exhausting the usual channels. “The president and the department still have to work with the guy.
“But we reached the point where we thought this was never going to happen.”
The Trib concludes…
This is a win-win deal: The feds get a bargain price on a state-of-the art prison, and Illinois will add all those jobs without forfeiting its investment. The only loser here is Rep. Frank Wolf.
The other loser here is Schilling.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 10:48 am
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It is a local election. No one cares what Boehmer is bloviating over. Big local win for the incumbent. Makes people happier.
Voters want to see an independent Congressman. Schilling showed independent voters he is one of them.
Durbin hates Schilling, but Dick just helped Bobby.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 11:03 am
–President Obama owes the American people an explanation about how importing these dangerous terrorists and giving them the same rights as U.S. citizens will make us any safer. Republicans will continue to oppose this dangerous plan.”–
Gee, and all this time I thought it was a clout-driven way to help Bustos by showing that Schilling can’t deliver with his own GOP colleagues.
Instead, a month before the election, Obama is plowing ahead with a plan to “import terrorists” to a town near the borders of two alleged swing states.
Curious timing. Such audacity.
When did Reps. Schilling, Manzullo and Loebsack sign onto this terrorist importation plan, anyway, since they’ve wanted the federales to buy the prison all along?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 11:04 am
These people are really insane, aren’t they? I mean even if the US housed the Gitmo “terrorists” there, they’d be IN PRISON. Not running around loose.
Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 11:14 am
See I told you so!
I’m gonna get me another gun to protect me from Obama’s terrorists.
I guess I’ll have to go out to vote for Romney, even though he’s a stiff.
Comment by walkinfool Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 11:22 am
I look forward to a Bustos’ ad that points out how Schilling wanted Illinois to sell the prison for half of what is being paid now. Not only did he ask for something that is illegal by asking to sell state property for significantly less than a fair market value, but he asked it during a time when Illinois government is in dire need of cash.
Comment by Aldyth Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 11:25 am
Hmmm. Seems lime SpeakerBoener has figured it out.
PizzaBobby is toast and he needs to scare everyone in Iowa into thinking the bombers are moiving next door
TTFN PizzaBoy
Fire, Aim, Ready
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 11:59 am
$165 Mil was way to low. A solar panel company got $500 Mil and gave up nothing.
Comment by Hickory Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 12:05 pm
I don’t get it. We could employ about 500 highle-paid union toughs from the QC and Chicago to keep these terrorists in-line, get a lot of great PR in the process, and strike true Chicago-fearing terror in evil-doers world-wide. The only loser will be Joliet citizens, whose stateville prison will be eclipsed in fame. So what’s the problem?
Comment by Chad Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 12:34 pm
So why does Durbin hate Schilling? Or does he just hate all Republicans?
Comment by Jim Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 3:08 pm
@Jim -
Durbin was one of the first, and certainly most prominent, to come to Mark Kirk’s aid and defense after his stroke.
Dick Durbin doesn’t “hate” Republicans, but he does love his state and he does hate hypocrisy. So when Congressional Republicans try to have it both ways — one arguing he wants to bring jobs to Illinois and the other arguing that it’ll bring Terrorists to Illinois — Durbin is annoyed. Quite understandably.
I, for one, don’t believe Schilling or anyone in the Illinois GOP delegation lifted a finger to really try to make this happen, but they put on a cute show.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Oct 3, 12 @ 7:03 pm
That’s no answer. One commenter said Durbin hates Schilling. I merely asked why he feels that way, and YD comes back with a blast at the GOP.
So I ask again, why does Durbin hate Schilling, assuming that he even does hate Schilling?
Comment by Jim Thursday, Oct 4, 12 @ 9:21 am