Graham Campaign Press Release - Washington Examiner: Lindsey Graham: I Don't Need 'Lecture' from Hillary, Trump on Immigration

Lindsey Graham: I don't need 'lecture' from Hillary, Trump on immigration

By David Sherfinski

July 8, 2015

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina on Wednesday ripped Democrats and Republicans alike on the issue of immigration, saying he doesn't need a lecture on the issue from former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton or real estate mogul Donald Trump.

Mr. Graham pointed out that in 2009, President Obama had 60 Democratic senators, a big majority in the U.S. House, and that the president had campaigned on the issue of immigration reform.

"He didn't do a damn thing, and Hillary Clinton never lifted a finger," said Mr. Graham, a 2016 GOP presidential candidate. "I want to remind everybody who cares about immigration reform that Obamacare, Dodd-Frank and the stimulus went ahead of you."

Mr. Graham was discussing the issue during a question-and-answer session after an address on foreign policy at the Atlantic Council in D.C. In an interview that aired this week on CNN, Mrs. Clinton had said Republicans "range across a spectrum of being either grudgingly welcome or hostile toward immigrants."

"I don't need a lecture from Hillary Clinton about immigration reform — I've been in every gang you could be in in the Senate," said Mr. Graham, who most recently helped author the comprehensive "Gang of Eight" immigration bill that passed the Senate in 2013. "If we had tattoos, I'd have an armful. I don't remember seeing her once ... she never came to any meetings I was at. She was a public voice in 2009; I never remember her saying 'wait a minute, President Obama — you promised to do immigration reform. Honor your promise.' She didn't say a word.

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He noted that he lost his mother at the age of 21 and his father at the age of 22.

"My sister was 13," he said. "If it wasn't for family, friends and faith I would not be sitting here. I am not going to engage in rhetoric or policies to destroy a family that's done nothing more than try to get a better life for my political" gain.

"So Hillary Clinton, you had a chance to push President Obama in 2009 and you were completely AWOL. I don't need a lecture from you about illegal immigration," he said. "I don't need a statement from Donald Trump that the border's broken — I know it. And when it comes to casting a shadow over all these people, to put them in the group of being rapists and drug dealers — not only is it wrong, you're digging a bigger hole and I hope every Republican candidate would say the following: we disagree with Donald Trump in this regard, that most of the people here illegally are good, hardworking people, and if we're not willing to say that as a party, we're gonna lose in 2016."

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