Dem. Lawmaker Says White House ‘Royally F*cked’ Syrian Refugee Bill
A House Democrat told the Huffington Post that the White House “royally f*cked” up this week when attempting to dissuade lawmakers from voting in favor of the American SAFE Act.
In the aftermath of last Friday’s terror attacks in Paris, The House of Representatives Thursday passed the bill, which effectively halts the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States for the foreseeable future. The Senate will debate the SAFE Act in December; the White House has already issued a veto-threat against the legislation if it’s passed through Congress.
In a surprising show of strength for House representatives, the SAFE Act passed with a “veto-proof majority.” The overwhelming support for the bill in the House showcased a startling inability on behalf of President Barack Obama to rally support from his own party.
In an interview with HuffPost, an anonymous Democrat who voted against the bill said, “If the White House hadn’t royally f*cked this up they’d have lost maybe 20 Democrats.” The lawmaker noted he originally opposed the bill — falling in line with the White House’s position — but supported it after a meeting with the Obama administration where officials were unable to make an effective case against the SAFE Act.
Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison agreed the Obama administration did a poor job of presenting its case, adding House lawmakers are “making their own decisions,” according to what’s best for their citizens.
Brad Ashforg, a freshman representative from Nebraska, echoed Ellison’s sentiment, telling reporters he supported the bill because he “cannot sit back and ignore the concerns of my constituents and the American public.”
The contentious debate over Syrian refugees reached its climax this week after evidence suggested at least two of the Paris terrorists claimed asylum in Greece before continuing to France to commit the attacks. In contrast with dozens of U.S. governors who rejected Syrian refugees in their states, French President François Hollande reaffirmed his commitment earlier this week, telling reporters his country will accept 30,000 migrants over the next two years.
[Image via screengrab]
—
