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Bunning opposes immigration bill
Says wrong person won Republican primary, but supports Fletcher
FRANKFORT, Ky. — U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Southgate, said Tuesday he will oppose the immigration bill before the Senate, calling it a “seriously flawed, bad bill” and then volunteered the wrong person won the Republican gubernatorial primary in which incumbent Gov. Ernie Fletcher defeated two challengers – adding, however, that the party is now together behind Fletcher.
Bunning also plans to offer an amendment to a pending energy bill which the Senate is likely to take up next week. The amendment would offer assistance for companies trying to develop or use coal to liquid fuel technology. Bunning and other coal state senators are pushing to subsidize development of alternative fuels from coal through tax incentives, government purchases of the fuels, and construction subsidies.
Bunning said the current proposed immigration measure will “provide amnesty to more than 12.5 million illegal immigrants,” allow them preferred status to seek citizenship and reduce border security by requiring less than 400 miles of border fencing, less than now required. The bill is supported by President George Bush, but Bunning said Bush is wrong or the victim of bad advice.
“This is a bad bill,” he said. “It was written in secret; it will cost taxpayers trillions of dollars; it rewards people who broke the law; and it fails to provide border security.”
He said enforcement of existing laws would be better policy than the pending bill but “obviously a lot of them have not been enforced.
“We need border security first. If we get border security, we’ll get less illegal immigration.”
Bunning conceded it “is almost impossible at this point” to deport so many illegal residents and suggested a legal guest worker program where illegal immigrants can achieve legal worker status but not citizenship.
Bunning said the fall election will provide “an interesting fall and election.” He called the primary “ancient history” and said the Republican Party is “together now” in support of Fletcher, but it was clear he still thinks former U.S. Congressman Anne Northup would have been the better nominee.
“The wrong person won the primary as far as I’m concerned,” Bunning offered, without being directly asked. “But that’s water over the dam. We’re all together now.”
Bunning supported Northup in her primary challenge against Fletcher who defeated Northup and Paducah businessman Billy Harper in the May 22 primary. Bunning attended a Republican “unity rally” at state party headquarters in Frankfort on the Saturday following the election at which party leaders, including Bunning, pledged their support for Fletcher in his race against Democratic nominee Steve Beshear.
Bunning also said the naming of Steve Robertson as party chairman is “the governor’s call.” The senator said he has “limited experience” with Robertson, who resigned as the head of the Governor’s Office for Local Development – or GOLD – to assume the chairmanship.
“I got to know him slightly when I ran for the Senate in 2004,” Bunning told reporters during a Tuesday morning conference call. “He was political director for the party and seemed to do a good job.”
Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com.
