http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/02/dean ... on_r_1.php

Dean Calls on Republican Party Leadership to Denounce Minutemen and Anti-Immigrant Rally

February 10, 2006

Washington, DC - Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement today as Republican Party extremist Tom Tancredo joined Minuteman Project co-founder Jim Gilchrist for an anti-immigrant rally at the United States Capitol. Tancredo's extremist divisive views received the endorsement of Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman last July with Mehlman stating that he was "proud" to have Tancredo's extremism as part of the debate on immigration:

"If President Bush were serious about comprehensive immigration reform, he would reject the anti-immigrant fervor on display today, and revisit his half hearted guest worker program whose piecemeal approach fails to address this critical issue. I call on President Bush, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, and Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman to denounce today's divisive Minuteman rally and to join Democrats in offering a real comprehensive approach to reforming our nation's immigration policy.

"Democrats are committed to strengthening our borders and enforcing our immigration laws, but there is no place in this debate for the reckless scapegoating of immigrants, nor the private vigilantism that only fosters hostility against them. President Bush's failure to provide leadership on immigration reform and to enforce our border laws is leaving state and local governments to bear the burden. Americans need effective leadership and solutions, not the Karl Rove playbook on divisiveness.

"Voters know that together, America can do better. Democrats will never abdicate the responsibility for a real immigration policy and its enforcement to vigilantes, or exploit people's fears for political gain. Americans demand the same of the Republican Party. They can start today by condemning Tom Tancredo's and Jim Gilchrist's anti-immigrant rally."