Lobbyist or lawmaker, Bilbray posts stop sign at border
By: Jeff Patch
May 2, 2007 05:54 PM EST

Brian Bilbray embraces the "L" word. In fact, the Republican congressman from San Diego could say he owes his job to it. Being a lobbyist on immigration reform earned him a veritable political doctorate in one of the biggest issues facing his constituents in Southern California.

As the chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus, Bilbray defines his purpose as that of tireless advocate against illegal immigration. Outside immigration groups say Bilbray's moderate presence and depth of experience have brightened their outlook.

This is Bilbray's second tour in the House. He first arrived in the Republican revolution in 1994. After losing his seat in 2000, he became a lobbyist and, importantly, co-chairman of the National Board of Advisers for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). His official biography notes, "It was the issue of illegal immigration that propelled Brian back into Congress in June of 2006."

That special election was called to fill the seat vacated by Randy "Duke" Cunningham, who had resigned before being convicted on federal bribery charges. Bilbray won despite a slew of negative ads that depicted him as a creature of the Beltway establishment.

Bilbray, 56, takes a markedly different approach to his work as immigration caucus chair from that of his predecessor, Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), whose in-your-face manner alienated advocates and legislators alike. In an interview, Bilbray said he likes to operate as a facilitator. He lets fellow lawmakers set the agenda, not lobbyists or outside advocacy groups.

In 2005, Bilbray reported $120,000 in lobbying fees. FAIR paid him $80,000. Center for Responsive Politics records show he collected $785,000 in fees over the "five-year sabbatical," as Bilbray calls it, mostly from California clients.

"I picked the things that I really believed in. After getting relieved of my official duties by the voters," Bilbray says with a smile in his congressional office, "I had a continual involvement in the issues I cared about. I didn't just walk away from it."

Bilbray listed himself on voter registration documents as an "immigration reform advocate" instead of a "lobbyist." The California Secretary of State's office, though, negotiated a different designation: "immigration reform consultant." Eric Roach, who opposed Bilbray in the Republican primary, sued to force Bilbray to be tagged on the ballot as a lobbyist.

Bilbray said media coverage of relatively few scandals threatens to tarnish thousands of honest, hard-working lobbyists.

"Look, when I go to take Communion, I don't think that my priest is a pedophile," he said. "When I go meet with my kids' teachers, I don't think that they've got pornography in their desks. Most of the people I know that are lobbying, and especially for nonprofits like I did, are doing it because they truly believe in the issue."

Bilbray, who grew up along the Mexican border in California, where his father served in the Navy, said the turning point for him occurred after witnessing "banzai charges." Immigrants would rush freeways to avoid capture, often being killed. While he was a lifeguard, Bilbray said he rescued several illegal immigrants from drowning -- and recovered bodies when they failed to reach the shore.

He supports efforts to issue tamper-resistant Social Security cards to prevent illegal immigrants from falsifying employment documents, punish employers who purposely hire illegal immigrants and those who frustrate other attempts to enforce immigration laws. He opposes an immigration bill sponsored by Reps. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.) as amnesty for criminals.

"If you pass the Flake-Gutierrez bill, you won't be able to build a fence tall enough to stop illegal immigration," Bilbray said. "Once you send a signal out around the world that you're rewarding illegal immigration again, you're going to have a whole new wave just like you did in '86; only this one will probably be three times bigger."

Dan Stein, FAIR's president, said the issue of illegal immigration fails to break down neatly along party lines. He credits Bilbray with effectively reaching out to build bipartisan consensus on the controversy.

"There's no doubt that he has sat through policy discussions and debates and listened to lots of players on this side of the issue to get a real understanding of the varied and unconventional interests that make up this issue," Stein said. "He understands where the pressure points are and what the base of an organization like this wants."

"He's trying to generate a member-to-member discussion, to take it to another level," added Julie Kirchner, FAIR's director of government relations.

Gary Jacobson, a political science professor at the University of California's San Diego campus, said Bilbray's command of the immigration issue certainly helped him win the GOP nomination in 2006.

"He had problems within the Republican coalition as being perceived as too liberal," Jacobson said. "By emphasizing immigration, he could pick up support from that group that wasn't otherwise supportive of him."

In an April 2006 primary, Bilbray won slightly more than 15 percent of the vote in a field of 14 Republican candidates. He went on to defeat Democrat Francine Busby in the June 6 election with 49 percent of the vote, and he defeated her again in November.

"He had been a lobbyist, but he hadn't been accused of any particular malfeasance himself," Jacobson said. "People are pretty cynical about politics in general. If everybody assumes you're already a sleaze, then being accused of (being) a sleaze isn't going to hurt you any more."

He said Bilbray is an "absolute lock" for reelection in the 50th Congressional District and that Democrats have never taken a House seat from a Republican in a district with a voter registration advantage as high as the 14 percent edge that Bilbray now enjoys.

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