Congressman Gohmert On Homeland Security And Immigration: Republicans Are 'Just Trying To Stand Up For The Constitution'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Chris Stigall talked with Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT from the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington DC.
Gohmert criticized fellow Republican and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for moving forward with and passing a continuing resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security without defunding President Obama's executive actions on immigration. Gohmert and other conservative Republicans wanted the two issues linked together in one bill, while McConnell has decided to pursue each individually.
Many Republicans have viewed McConnell's action as a betrayal, and Gohmert said it now puts Speaker of the House John Boehner in a position where he will need support from Democrats to pass the bill and send it to the President.
"The Speaker has stood firm all the way...He has done what he's said so far on amnesty...I'm sure the Democrats will be glad to help out on that vote, but they'll be an awful lot of Republicans that are not going to be in position to vote for that."
He also thinks splitting the two votes gives an assist to their political opposition.
"Whether it's intended or not, that's what this vote does. What they've done in the Senate is split that out. It allows vulnerable Democrats to go on FOX News and other places and say 'I'm against the illegal amnesty too...but let's don't play politics with it.' Who's playing politics? The President, Jeh Johnson, Harry Reid -- they're playing politics. We're just trying to stand up for the Constitution...By splitting this off, it gives them a chance to vote separately for a bill that the President will never have to sign."
Gohmert stated he wishes the leadership had pursued a different funding strategy.
"Homeland security is what we care about. Let's fund everything, including homeland security. Let's defund all [of the President's] czars. Let's defund the EPA trying to permit every piece of property in the country. Let's defend the Department of Energy that has cut down our production of federal lands by 40 percent. Let's defund the Department of Education and send all that money straight past the Department of Education straight back to the states and local districts."