Rod

Where does this guy get off believing his state is above federal law?
Is the demoncratic party so desperate that they need those illegal voters to be elected that they their are willing to defend breaking the federal law?

indago

CNN — LOU DOBBS TONIGHT — Aired October 17, 2007 - 18:00 ET

LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Governor Spitzer is ignoring public opinion in his own state showing fierce opposition as well, to the plan. He's also ignoring a rising revolt within his own party.

But, as Bill Tucker now reports, there are charges tonight that Governor Spitzer is retaliating against his opponent, and, in turn, hurting the very people he is responsible to represent.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TUCKER (voice-over): New York State funds health care to the economically disadvantaged and the uninsured, but now comes word that the governor has cut more than $400,000 worth of state health care in education funding to the district of one of the governor's staunchest opponents of his plan to give illegal aliens driver's licenses.

Almost one quarter of that was for funding for a free medical clinic for children. The cuts were no accident, says Republican Assemblyman Jim Tedisco.

JAMES TEDISCO (R), NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: He wants me to back off my position of keeping this a secure state by not coming out in opposition to giving illegal aliens driver's licenses. And, if I don't, he reaches around me and goes into my assembly district and takes money away from kids who don't have health insurance.

TUCKER: The governor's office says the cuts were not retaliatory. A spokesman notes that ample discretionary funds were available to the assemblyman for the projects, but that he chose not to fund the projects.

Going against Spitzer is tough. He's already threatened the Senate majority leader with an IRS investigation for getting in his way. He's threatening to sue the county clerks for not implementing his policy.

It's a style that Spitzer, himself, admits is akin to a steamroller. Ironically, almost as a reminder of what is at stake surrounding this driver's license dispute, a major identify fraud ring was busted in the New York City borough of queens on Wednesday; 41 people have been charged with supplying fraudulent government identity documents such as resident alien cards, Social Security cards and driver's licenses.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TUCKER: Now, the point that was made repeatedly today at the announcement of the indictments, driver's licenses are source documents from which, Lou, fraudulent identities can be built.

DOBBS: And often are. We have had huge arrests just in the last couple of days here in New York on more document fraud, identify fraud, and, of course, for the purpose of perpetuating illegal immigration in this country.

This governor, he's described himself as a steamroller?

TUCKER: Oh, yes. And, well, in a family-friendly way, he said, I'm an F'ing steamroller, and I will roll over you and anybody else that gets in my way.

He was responding to Assemblyman Tedisco earlier this year. Different topic, but Tedisco is accusing him of being a bully, basically.

DOBBS: Well, he sounds like he's accusing himself. And you said family-friendly. That's because you used that expression, rather than the governor's.

TUCKER: Yes. The governor didn't censor it.

(LAUGHTER)

DOBBS: Well, let me give the governor a description that he might consider for himself. How about spoiled rich kid brat who is treating New York residents as if he thinks they're his rich father's tenants, instead of citizens? I wonder what the governor would think of that.

And the governor, by the way — I want to repeat here, Bill, we have invited Governor Spitzer to come on this broadcast and discuss and debate this issue. The man doesn't have the backbone. He may be what he calls a steamroller, but I think he's a weak-kneed, spineless steamroller, who is absolutely acting against the interests of his citizens and ignoring, ignoring the will of New York State citizens.

It's absolutely an outrage.

Bill Tucker, thank you very much.


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indago

CNN — LOU DOBBS TONIGHT — Aired October 17, 2007 - 18:00 ET

LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the controversy over the Spitzer plan continues to grow. The governor is standing by his decision as more and more people criticize him and opposed that proposal — and not only in the State of New York. The results of a new CNN national poll just released show that Americans nationwide are overwhelmingly opposed to granting driver's licenses to illegal aliens. Seventy-six percent — more than three quarters of all Americans polled — do not want driver's licenses in the hands of illegal aliens.

By the way, in New York, the most recent poll, a Siena poll, showed that New York residents opposed that idea by a 72 percent rate.

Joining me now, Raymond Martinez, former New York State motor vehicle commissioner; Oneida county clerk Sandy DePerno, a Democrat; and New York State Republican Assemblyman David Townsend.

We thank you all for being here and we appreciate your time.

Let me turn first, if I may, to just the basic issue here, and that is that opinion poll that shows 76 percent nationwide opposing it, 72 percent in New York in the most recent poll.

I would just like to ask Sandy DePerno, county clerk, as I said, in Oneida County, what your reaction is and what the reaction has been there.

SANDY DEPERNO, ONEIDA COUNTY CLERK: I've had — ever since this hit the papers, I have had numbers — just numerous phone calls, e- mails, letters from my constituents telling me to please persuade the governor to rescind this executive order. My constituents are just outraged by it.

DOBBS: And Assemblyman Townsend, your reaction and the reaction of your constituents.

DAVID TOWNSEND (R), NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: Well, Lou, my constituents' reaction is basically the same. But I think you're missing an important point here. And it was brought up in a hearing we had today in Syracuse —

DOBBS: Right.

TOWNSEND: ...with county clerks from Oneida County, as well as representatives...

DOBBS: I was about to get to that. Go to it. Go to it.

TOWNSEND: ...district attorneys' offices and police agencies. And one thing that nobody seems to have zeroed in on is the people that are illegal and registered to get a driver's license will fill out a Motor Voter registration form. And as long as they check a box that says they're a legal resident...

DOBBS: Right.

THOMPSON: ...or a citizen of New York and sign it, they will be eligible to vote in the elections. And I think this the impetus behind this whole program is to register approximately 500,000 illegal aliens in New York so that they can vote in next year's presidential election.

DOBBS: Well, one of the original county clerks sitting next to you there, Sandy DePerno, is focused on that issue, certainly. Do you — the county — you're among 13 county clerks who stated right at the outset that you would defy the governor's proposal.

Are you as concerned as the assemblyman about the issue of voter fraud?

DEPERNO: Of course, we are. We ducktail with our board of elections on the county level. And, yes, that is a major concern with all of the county clerks.

DOBBS: And Ray Martinez, former head of the motor vehicles commission, you fought hard, worked hard to make New York's driver's license an important, secure document.

What is your reaction to what the governor is trying to do and the issues that both the county clerks, as Sandy DePerno and Assemblyman Townsend have raised here?

RAYMOND MARTINEZ, FORMER NEW YORK STATE MOTOR VEHICLES COMMISSIONER: It's inexplicable, Lou. The governor has acted in an arrogant and an irresponsible fashion. I commend both the assemblyman and the county clerk's association for taking a stand on this.

This — this is really an irresponsible action. It compromises the safety and security of New Yorkers and, in truth, beyond the borders of New York State. The — we're talking about possibly adding a half a million to perhaps 700,000 illegal aliens with questionable documentation. And the governor is counting on technology — on technologies that we've used. They're known quantities, but they're not a panacea.

DOBBS: All right, is it your judgment that to do this — that, first, as a number of his critics have said, that the governor is violating, basically, the law — and certainly the intent of The Real I.D. law — and will make it easier for law breakers of all sorts — including terrorists — to take advantage of New York State's driver's licenses and the documents that can flow from that?

MARTINEZ: There's no question about it, Lou.

New York has been a leader for the last seven years in document security for the driver license. We were uniquely impacted by 9/11. We've taken this seriously. Law enforcement knows that. New York, of all states, should not be taking a back seat here. And we do not want to be a weak link state.

The governor points that while eight other states do it — these are eight other states that are either unable or unwilling...

DOBBS: Right.

MARTINEZ: ...to protect the sanctity of their photo identification documents. It's absolutely wrong.

DOBBS: Let me ask you, David Townsend, you and Sandy DePerno, coming out of that hearing today — 13 clerks have said categorically they're not going to do anything to support the governor in this order. More than 30 county clerks have said that they think this is absolutely outrageous.

What — Assemblyman, what are you doing to protect elected county clerks such as Sandy DePerno and others, and Frank Merola and others here who are standing up for their constituents and what they see as the law of the State of New York?

THOMPSON: We have drafted legislation. We'll be introducing it so it can hopefully come to the floor on the 23rd when we go back into session, to indemnify the county clerks from any lawsuit brought against them by the governor. We saw what happened to Minority Leader Jim Tedisco. And this governor is just bent on crushing anybody that doesn't believe the way he does. And we, as legislators, are not going to ask our taxpayers to have to pay for lawsuits to protect our county clerks from upholding the law and defying the governor's order to break the law.

DOBBS: Sandy DePerno, you're a Democrat.

What is your reaction to a governor of your own party saying, as we've reported here, that he's going to employ these steamroller tactics and he doesn't care whether he rolls over a fellow Democrat or another elected official?

He's going to have his way on an issue that a majority — a vast majority of the citizens of New York oppose.

DEPERNO: Well, I'm just shocked and appalled. And, like I said today at the hearing, he should start acting like the governor and worry about the constituents of New York State and stop acting like an attorney general. He's the governor now. His job is to protect the constituents of New York State from terrorist attack and put in security measures. And this plan is not a secure plan.

DOBBS: Well, as I said earlier, I don't believe this governor is acting like an attorney general. He's acting like a willful rich kid brat who thinks that the citizens of New York are that rich father's tenants rather than citizens who are to be respected and to be represented.

I want to thank you all for being...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's living off campaign promises.

DOBBS: Well, I don't — I — I just think it's outrageous. He's beyond the pale.