VA District 8, REPUBLICAN, Tom O'Donoghue for CONGRESS
Tom O'Donoghue Illegal Immigration Stances Republican Candidate Campaign Congress US House
Name of Candidate:
Tom M. O’Donoghue
Name of Campaign Committee:
Tom O’Donoghue for Congress
Mailing Address:
PO Box 16414
Alexandria, VA 22302
Phone Contact Information:
(703) 558-8282
Campaign E-mail and website:
tom@tomforcongress.org
www.tomforcongress.org
State and District:
VA - 8
Political Party:
Republican
Is the candidate (Incumbent, Challenger, Open Seat):
Challenger
Incumbents only: What is your career grade at www.betterimmigration.com ?
Campaign Funds Raised as of most recent reporting cycle:
$52,000 through October 18, 2006
This form completed by (Candidate and Campaign Managers Only): Candidate
Candidate Background Information
Top Campaign Issues:
Border Security and Enforcement of Immigration Laws
Energy Independence
Earmark Reform/Corruption
Strategy for Iraq
Education, Awards & Honors:
EDUCATION
U.S Military Academy, West Point – BS
Boston University – MA International Relations
Yale University – MBA
Georgetown University - JD
AWARDS
Bronze Star (U.S. Army, Baghdad, Iraq 2003)
Combat Action Badge (U.S. Army, Baghdad, Iraq 2003)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award (U.S. Army-JCMOTF, Kabul, Afghanistan, 2002)
District Information
Please give a brief description of your district:
Northern Virginia including Arlington County, Alexandria City, Falls Church City,
Reston in Fairfax County and the Eastern part of Fairfax County.
Percentage of Democrat, Republican, and Unaffiliated Voters: No Party Registration
in VA but recent history the district is between 60 and 65% Democrat.
Survey Questions
(Please describe your feelings on the following with a number 1-10 or with the
response Undecided (1=Strongly Disagree, 2-4=Disagree, 5=Neutral, 6-9 Agree,
10=Strongly Agree)
I believe illegal immigration can be reversed if we enforce our existing laws? (1-10) 9
As a member of Congress I will use the full force of my office to ensure the
Executive Branch starts to enforce our existing immigration laws? (1-10) 10
Illegal Immigrants should be deported when detected in the interior of the US? (1-10) 9
Law abiding and legal American citizens should be required to accept biometric
identification? (1-10) 1
I believe that local and state police should assist with immigration enforcement?
(1-10) 8 (Hopefully, the situation can be fixed quickly so this is not such a burden
for local police)
Federal taxpayer funding to groups that support illegal immigration like La Raza
should be stopped. (1-10) 9
I support "Comprehensive immigration reform" that would allow illegal aliens
currently in the US to stay without fear of deportation as guest or temporary
workers? (1-10) 1
Illegal aliens should be allowed to leave the US and return quickly on a fast track
as guest or temporary workers? (1-10) 2
Illegal Immigrants should be allowed to attend state sponsored universities at in
state tuition rates? (1-10) 1
Employers that intentionally hire illegal aliens should be fined and or arrested
depending on the severity. (1-10) 10
English should be the national language of America. (1-10) 10
I support the SPP Security and Prosperity Partnership and Agreements that combine
the economies of America, Mexico, and Canada. (1-10) 2
I believe the existing law that says aiding and abetting illegal aliens inside the
US is a crime should be enforced? (1-10) 8 (Not to be used against humanitarian
help, especially by churches, food kitchens and health clinics which are not
furthering a crime and are just providing assistance to anyone in need and are not
part of a larger conspiracy.)
Banks should be allowed to continue giving taxpayer backed home mortgages to illegal
aliens? (1-10) 1
Executive Branch orders to US Border Patrol to only "Catch and Release" illegal
aliens at the border and not to speak to the media or Members of Congress should be
rescinded? (1-10) 10
Congress should investigate why the Executive Branch of the United States is not
enforcing our existing immigration laws, why all fines against employers had ceased
by 2004, and why some actions of the Executive branch appear to be more in the
interest of drug and human smugglers than the American public? (1-10) 10
Short Answer
Has your campaign addressed the topic of illegal immigration in speeches,
commercials, ads, or campaign materials? What are those messages? (Please provide
sources or examples)
Campaign handout has the following as the top of three issues:
BORDER SECURITY
We must secure your borders while maintaining our nation’s tradition of welcoming
legal immigrants. I support immediate measure to track, detect, and intercept
those who breach our borders and break our laws, ensuring a safe and secure
America.
Below is my answer for NEWS Channel 8 and the candidate website they host.
What should be done about the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in
the US and the 1.6 million who try to cross the border every year? Should taxpayer
dollars be used to provide services like employment centers, education, and
medical care?
“Illegal immigration strains our education, healthcare and law enforcement systems
and is undermining the most generous legal immigration system in the world. After
the attacks of September 11th, we can no longer allow people to literally walk
into our country without knowing who they are or why they are here. The first step
is to secure our borders to stop the massive influx. Securing our borders will
require focus by members of congress. We need leaders who are committed to
successfully securing our borders. My opponent considers it “impossible and
immoral” to secure our borders and enforce our laws. I consider it imperative.
We have heard the promises before but the borders remain unsecured. I will not
allow this to happen again.
When elected, I will ensure that our borders are secured. If I fail, I will
provide a full accounting to the voters of Northern Virginia so they can decide if
I deserve to continue to represent them. In addition to securing our borders, we
must enforce our laws against employers who hire illegal workers with impunity.
Finally, I do not support a blanket amnesty program because it would encourage
more illegal immigrants to enter the U.S, encourage those already here to remain
and is not fair to immigrants who have followed our laws.”
What do you feel your opponent's stance on illegal immigration or immigration reform
is or would be?
My opponent, Jim Moran, has called attempts to secure the border and enforce our
laws “immoral and impossible.” He attended the pro-illegal immigration rallies in
D.C. as a guest speaker. He said that illegal immigration is not a problem for
Northern Virginia because of our low unemployment. We actually need the workers.
Dear e-News subscriber,
At Tuesday's rally on the National Mall, I addressed an exuberant,
American-flag-waving, Pledge-of-Allegiance-singing crowd filled with families who
filed orderly to the stage on 7th Street . As peaceful a group as I have ever
witnessed in such large numbers, the approximately 180,000 onlookers cheered
speakers including Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Senator Edward Kennedy and Jaime
Contreras, president of the National Capital Immigration Coalition. Their message
to the world? "Si se puede" meaning "Yes, we can."
The trigger for this outpouring of civil protest was a bill, H.R. 4437, sponsored by
Representative Jim Sensenbrenner and passed by the House of Representatives. It
essentially makes hardworking immigrants felons and punishes any person or
organization that provides support of any kind to undocumented immigrants including
food, shelter and education. As Senator Hilary Clinton has said, this bill would
make Jesus Christ a felon.
It is clear to most Americans that our immigration system is broken and needs
major repair. The debate in Congress is essentially between a narrow and punitive
"repair" that relies solely on fences and our criminal laws to fix the problem,
and a more comprehensive "repair" that includes efforts to stem the tide of
illegal immigration with a plan to give current undocumented immigrants permission
to stay and an opportunity to earn citizenship.
In my view, it would be impossible and immoral to spend hundreds of millions of
dollars building fences and trying to track down and uproot 11 million plus
people, most of whom contribute to our society and work to make our economy
stronger. The comprehensive immigration reform bill being advanced by Senators
Kennedy and McCain is a good bipartisan proposal that should serve as the model
for whatever Congress enacts. It creates a guest worker visa program for future
immigrants and, for today's undocumented immigrants, provides a route for them to
earn citizenship.
Tuesday's immigration rallies may go down as a seminal moment in U.S. history.
The immigrant community and their supporters certainly have shifted the debate on
a contentious issue in a way seldom seen in politics. The marchers' have reached
their short term goal of capturing the public's attention. Securing lasting
political respect and an understanding from the American people that immigrants
are an integral part of the fabric of our society is the ultimate goal. They are
making significant progress on that point as well.
Yours truly,
James P. Moran
| Bill Search | | Constituent Services | | Visit Website |
Congressman Jim Moran
2239 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Telephone: (202) 225-4376
http://www.moran.house.gov
Have you been endorsed by or received contributions from any other immigration
reform or illegal immigration reduction groups at this time?
Not to my knowledge. I have completed a fair number of surveys.
Would you openly accept an endorsement and or contribution from ALIPAC?
Yes.
Please use the remainder of this space to share any further opinions on these
issues. (optional)
In a tough district during a tough year for Republicans, this is the one issue that
has the ability to attract cross over voters who will likely vote for Jim Webb (D)
over George Allen (R) by a margin of 65% to 35% in the 8th Congressional District.
In Herndon, Virginia, a town that borders my district, the town councils support of
a day laborer site caused every incumbent and the mayor who supported the building
to be voted out of office last year. This is an issue most politicians don’t
understand.
My goal is to raise sufficient additional funds to target approximately 25,000
households with direct mail comparing my position and statement with Jim Moran’s
on the issue of illegal immigration, enforcement of immigration laws and border
security.
-------------------------------
Candidate Pledge
I, Tom O’Donoghue, hereby pledge to stand with the American public to have the US
Border secured and existing immigration laws enforced with the intention of reducing
the number of illegal aliens entering and remaining in the US. I understand that the
vast majority of Americans want the border secured, taxpayer benefits for illegal
aliens ended, local police helping to enforce immigration laws, and employers that
hire, aid, and abet illegal aliens to be charged.
Furthermore, I will not support any trade agreement or Executive Branch treaty that
compromises our ability to enforce our existing immigration laws and threatens US
sovereignty.
I will actively oppose any attempt to remove or replace the current laws that say
illegal aliens are to be deported with a guest worker or temporary worker program
that allows illegal aliens to stay or quickly return to the US.
Signed,
Tom O’Donoghue
Candidate Name
10/18/2006
Date
