Thread: N. Idaho Lawmaker Demands House Hopeful Quit

N. Idaho lawmaker demands House hopeful quit
By JOHN MILLER - Associated Press Writer
Published: 12/08/09

BOISE, Idaho — A simmering Capitol feud over illegal immigration boiled over Monday when a north Idaho Republican demanded a party colleague quit the 1st Congressional District primary race because he works as an immigration lawyer.

State Rep. Raul Labrador of Eagle should abandon his run for the seat now held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick, according to an e-mail from state Sen. Mike Jorgenson of Hayden.

"Raul Labrador is an immigration attorney and admits to defending illegal immigrants in his law practice," Jorgenson told news outlets. "His pro-illegal immigrant stances are wrong for Idaho taxpayers and Idaho's unemployed."

Labrador, who has a practice in Nampa that specializes in criminal and immigration law, responded that Jorgenson is a "fringe player" in the Idaho Legislature who harbors a grudge.

Labrador has clashed with Jorgenson in the past on state immigration legislation.

For instance, in 2007, he voted against a Jorgenson-backed bill to bar illegal immigrants from receiving state benefits, arguing not enough was known about the measure's real cost. Labrador has also questioned failed measures supported by Jorgenson aimed at punishing Idaho employers who don't verify workers' status.

Jorgenson, who didn't return phone calls seeking comment, sent his e-mail the same day Labrador officially kicked off his campaign against Vaughn Ward, a former John McCain aide, ahead of May's primary election.

Contacted during a campaign stop in Coeur d'Alene, Labrador said Jorgenson holds a grudge against him - and not just over their differences on immigration.

Labrador was a vocal opponent of Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's proposed gas tax hike during the 2009 Legislature, while Jorgenson supported boosting the tax.

And in 2008, Labrador backed Norm Semanko as chairman of the Idaho Republican Party; Labrador says Jorgenson favored the candidate who lost, Kirk Sullivan.

"Mike Jorgenson is upset with me because I have always taken positions of fiscal responsibility," Labrador said. "And all he can do is distort my immigration stance."

Labrador, who was born in Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States, said his role as a lawyer is to help his clients, including businesses, navigate complicated rules governing legal citizenship, residency and working.

"I help people get through the legal immigration system," he said. "That's what I do for a living."

Republican State Rep. Jim Clark - who, like Jorgenson, is from Hayden - stood up for Labrador.

"Whether the issue is taxes, protecting the sanctity of life, fighting to reduce the size and cost of government, or immigration, Raul Labrador has been there in the trenches," Clark said in a release distributed by Labrador's campaign. "He will continue to stand up for conservative principles in Washington."

Monday's Republican-on-Republican dustup resurrects immigration policy as a campaign issue in the Congressional district that covers western and northern Idaho. It was among topics that dominated the six-way 2006 GOP primary but was less prominent in the 2008 race, when Minnick beat then-U.S. Rep. Bill Sali, a Republican.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews ... 00344.html

December 7, 2009
Labrador enters Idaho’s 1st CD race
Betsy Z. Russell The Spokesman-Review


State Rep. Raul Labrador entered the GOP primary contest for a chance to challenge Idaho’s Democratic 1st District Congressman Walt Minnick today, even as a fellow Republican lawmaker urged him to abandon his run.

Sen. Mike Jorgenson, R-Hayden Lake, a backer of GOP rival Vaughn Ward, sent out a press release criticizing Labrador’s work as an immigration attorney and labeling him “pro-illegal immigrant.â€

This is what Labrador said in June 2008

Representative Raul Labrador speaks to the Farm Buearu's Dairy and Beef Committee on Tuesday.

Boise --Raul Labrador runs the largest Immigration Law Office in Idaho and says business is booming. Labrador also is a 1st term lawmaker that represents Eagle in the Idaho Legislature, and now wears a third hat—he’s on retainer from Idaho dairymen to help their migrant workforce.

“We have an office with three attorneys,â€

Labrador Wrong For Idaho

Idaho Families Cannot Afford Raul’s Liberal Plans

Coeur D’Alene, ID – On Monday, Senator Mike Jorgenson (R-Hayden) called on Raul Labrador to withdraw from the 1st Congressional race.

"Raul Labrador is an immigration attorney and admits to defending illegal immigrants in his law practice.â€

This jerk has got another think coming if he thinks he's going to even make it through the primaries here in Idaho because we intend to blow him right out of the water. Raul Labrador is currently one of our State legislators, yet he still works as an attorney defending illegal aliens, even alleged murders. Here's one of his cases:

Cite as 23 I&N Dec. 201 (BIA 2001) Interim Decision #3460

1 Board Members Lauren R. Mathon and Philemina McNeill Jones participated in the deliberations concerning this case, but resigned prior to the issuance of the final decision. Board Members Frederick D. Hess and Roger Pauley did not participate in the decision in this case.

201
In re Javier SOTELO-Sotelo, Respondent
File A90 288 961 - Aurora, Colorado
Decided October 25, 2001
U.S. Department of Justice
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Board of Immigration Appeals

An applicant for cancellation of removal under section 240A(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1229b(a) (Supp. V 1999), need not meet a threshold test requiring a showing of “unusual or outstanding equitiesâ€

Sounds like he is a member of both the Tan Klan and the anti-American Immigration Lawyers Association, both who advocate a mass illegal alien amnesty.

We are working the blogs here in Idaho today, trying to kill any chances this idiot Labrador has of even making it through the primaries. If he depended a human smuggler wanted on murder charges in Mexico, how many others has he defended just like this.

[quote]"We have an office with three attorneys,â€

Members in Idaho need to stop this Labrador from even getting on the ballot. WHat a disaster.

Originally Posted by judyweller

Members in Idaho need to stop this Labrador from even getting on the ballot. WHat a disaster.

We're working on it right now, Judy. We are blasting him in the blogs, so much so that Labrador came out with another article this afternoon. He knows the heat's on.