Thread: SC: Immigration comments taken the wrong way

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/my ... 773633.htm

Posted on Sat, Feb. 24, 2007

Immigration comments taken the wrong way, auditor says
By Tonya Root
The Sun News

AUDIO: Click here to listen to Lois Eargle's comments

Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle said Friday she was misquoted and that other comments she made Thursday about an illegal immigrant were taken out of context, despite an audio recording indicating otherwise.

Eargle was named the S.C. adviser for presidential candidate Duncan Hunter's campaign Thursday during a press conference in Columbia. She told the audience she admired Hunter's position on immigration and spoke about a woman with three children who came to Eargle's office and sought free legal help for an abused child. Eargle said she was an illegal immigrant.

Eargle said, "I told her the best thing for her to do is to get back to Mexico." On Friday, Eargle said she was misquoted in an Associated Press story, which The Sun News published.

"I said, 'First of all you need to quit having these children. And you need to go back to Mexico so that you can go back to be with your family and friends.'"

She said the instance she was referring to involved a woman who had lived in Horry County for seven years and was seeking legal help for her boyfriend, who was charged with domestic violence against her. The woman came to the auditor's office because an interpreter is on staff there, Eargle said.

The woman's boyfriend did not show up for court, was arrested and was about to be deported to Mexico because he was in the country illegally, Eargle said.

A reporter for The (Columbia) State newspaper recorded Eargle's full speech Thursday:

"It's indeed a pleasure for me to be here this morning and to drive all the way up from Horry County, the independent county of Horry, to endorse Duncan Hunter.

"Ronald Reagan is my hero. I had a presidential appointment from Ronald Reagan and met with him on numerous occasions and even had lunch at the White House. Duncan Hunter reminds me so much of the views and the character of Ronald Reagan.

"I am supporting Representative Duncan Hunter because, number one, of his stance on immigration.

"Yesterday I had in my office a young lady who has been here for seven years, could not speak a word of English. Had three children by three different men. Came in because one of them had been abused. She asked me could I take her to a lawyer who would represent her free. I told her the best thing for her to do is to get back to Mexico.

"Just over and over and over you hear cases where the illegal immigrants have come in and where they really affected the economy.

"I really appreciate his position on family. I'm a family person. I have, believe it or not, four children and 13 grandchildren. I admire his stance, his spiritual stance, and I just think he's going to make a great president of the United States of America. He's going to be another Ronald Reagan."

The Associated Press, which reported on the press conference and Eargle's remarks, stands by its report, said Evan Berland, AP news editor for South Carolina.

Roy Tyler, Hunter's campaign communication director, said he attended the press conference but did not hear Eargle's comments. He said she did not use a microphone and the acoustics in the room were poor.

"I don't think anybody could hear the comments that well. I didn't hear it," Tyler said. "I don't know if she said that or didn't. I didn't hear it."

During a tour of the state on Friday with Hunter, Tyler said he had heard rumors about the comments but had not confirmed them.

"I think Lois' service speaks for itself. She's served her country and her community for a lot of years. I would be skeptical condemning her," Tyler said. "She's a great American who has served us well. I think anybody that knows her can speak to that."

Eargle holds an elected position and is responsible to the voters, Horry County spokeswoman Lisa Bourcier said. This is her 15th year in the position of Horry County auditor, which oversees the county's tax rolls.

Staff writers Issac Bailey and Sarah P. Kennedy contributed to this report.
On the Net

To hear an audio clip of Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle's speech, go to MyrtleBeach

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/my ... 764797.htm

Posted on Fri, Feb. 23, 2007

White House long-shot taps Horry auditor for help
By Seanna Adcox
The Associated Press

COLUMBIA - Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter on Thursday named an S.C. adviser who boasted about telling an illegal immigrant worried about an abused child to "get back to Mexico."

At a news conference at the Statehouse, Horry County Auditor Lois Eargle talked up her hard-line stance on illegal immigrants.

The former county GOP chairwoman said an illegal immigrant with three children came to her office this week asking for free legal help for an abused child.

"I told her the best thing for her to do was to get back to Mexico," Eargle said.

Hunter, a California congressman who is considered a long-shot to win the White House, said if a fence were not built along the Mexican border by 2009, as president he would ensure it was "built start to finish in six months."

And the problem with what she said to the illegal anchor baby factory is what exactly?

I would vote for her , Maybe she will run for office .

Exactly JB! Don't back down. This kind of crap really pisses me off. If we acquiesce to one then we have to acquiesce to every single one of them. We are not responsible for them. Emotion is the only thing driving this. I really wish she would not back down from what she said. You did not say anything wrong. This is how we lose the battle and the war. She told the invader to go home and THAT is EXACTLY what she needs to do. Go home! We have no responsibility for you. How many child abuse victims are there in the world? What about sexual abuse in general? How many are there right here in America that never get either attention or help? How many other non citizens in the world are child abuse victims? Sexual abuse victims? We will have a literal tsunami of abuse victims if we acknowledge responsibility for any of them. It will then be the medically poor, the elderly and mentally and physically challenged on and on.

If they want intervention OK We will remove them from their situation and then IMMEDIATELY deport them. No other option as long as they are medically OK to do so.

Hmmm.........sounds like the media is taking every possible opportunity to get their pound of flesh in promoting a future amnesty for criminal aliens.

We need more people like Ms Eargle speaking out.

Isn't it about time we stopped apologizing for insulting these crumbs? Their original criminal acts insult me and ought to insult every American. Kudos to this lady and I'd like to see more of the same. Perhaps if we insult them virulently enough, they'll go home or start the inevitable physical violence. Either way, it's high time.

Yes, this political correctness is killing us and is one of the things that has gotten us into this mess. People need to be able to speak the truth and then not back down.

An woman who is here illegally who has three children to three different fathers who are in potentially unsafe environment should return home where she belongs instead of using more tax payer funded services.

Originally Posted by MW

Hmmm.........sounds like the media is taking every possible opportunity to get their pound of flesh in promoting a future amnesty for criminal aliens.

Yes MW wouldn't want to lose their cheap newpaper boys, you know their doing the jobs kids won't do anymore!!