As arguments begin today before Judge Shelton in Arizona against the racial profiling law, a last effort by Senate Republicans to block the lawsuit failed, thanks to the Democratic majority and a couple of Republicans.
Senate Democrats on Wednesday turned back a move by Republicans to block the Justice Department from pursuing its lawsuit seeking to overturn Arizona’s controversial immigration law.
The bid by South Carolina Republican Jim DeMint to nix the lawsuit came out on the losing end of a 55-43 vote. Five Democrats voted to block the lawsuit while two Republicans voted against the measure.
Unfortunately, five Democrats were part of the mix wanting to block the lawsuit–the five that could get us to the Magic Number of 60 to pass CIR–or at least the DREAM Act. I call them the problem children. Still, given that the DREAM Act could have some bi-partisan appeal, we could lose those five, but not many more.
And just because we like to name names.
Democrats voting to block the lawsuit were: Max Baucus and John Tester of Montana; Mark Pryor and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas; and Ben Nelson of Nebraska. Republicans Mike Johann of Nebraska and George Voinovich of Ohio broke with their party in voting against the amendment.
And while we fight in court, Janet Brewer’s legal mouthpiece had this to say to the judge.
“In Arizona we have a tremendous Hispanic heritage. To think that everybody that’s Hispanic is going to be stopped and questioned … defies reality,” Bouma said. “All this hypothetical that we’re going to go out and arrest everybody that’s Hispanic, look around. That’s impossible.”
Somehow, that doesn’t make me feel all warm and fuzzy.
Stop SB1070! – No SB1070 in Texas!
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