April 06,2005
Barry Smith
Freedom Raleigh Bureau
Topics: Americans for Legal Immigration, laws, senate, republican, democrat, legislation

RALEIGH - An aide to state Sen. Hugh Webster (William Gheen) has taken a leave of absence from his legislative job to lobby lawmakers on immigration issues.

Bill Gheen, 36, said that he requested the leave of absence - which he expects to last about a month - so he can discuss illegal immigration with legislators. Gheen is president of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, a committee that endorses federal candidates that support immigration reform.

"At this time, lawmakers do not have current and accurate information about our illegal immigration crisis in North Carolina," Gheen said Tuesday.

Gheen, who was born and grew up in Shelby, has been working in Webster's legislative office since last year.

Former state Sen. Fern Shubert, R-Union, will fill in for Gheen during his leave of absence. Shubert, who was a GOP candidate for governor last year, frequently brought up the ability of illegal immigrants to get a driver's license in North Carolina during her gubernatorial campaign.

"When somebody like Sen. Webster asked me to help him, what else could I do?" Shubert said.

Webster said that he never saw Gheen's position as his aide as a conflict of interest, an issue that had been raised by a Hispanic advocacy group.

"I think it's a red herring myself," Webster said. "I think that we took care of that little red herring."

During a press conference held last week by Webster about a bill he had introduced restricting the ability of illegal immigrants to receive welfare benefits and register to vote, Gheen provided details related to immigration. It's rare for legislative assistants to speak out and provide such information at legislative press conferences.

Webster said that Gheen is knowledgeable on the immigration issue, adding the leave of absence would allow him to focus on that issue.

"Bill had been doing a good job, especially with constituent services," Webster said. "Now he can focus on one issue."

Gheen said that as a legislative assistant, he wasn't lobbying other lawmakers about immigration.

Gheen said the Americans for Legal Immigration PAC is a national organization with more than 300 dues-paying members in 38 states. He said the organization has an e-mail list of thousands.

He said he has been president of the organization since it was founded on Sept. 11, 2004.

Paula Wolf, a lobbyist for El Pueblo, a Raleigh-based Hispanic advocacy organization, said that she had no comment on the move in Webster's office.

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