From the office of Del. Pat McDonough:
Governor O’Malley, the first governor since Spiro Agnew to have the opportunity to speak at a breakfast sponsored by Christian Science Monitor, used the forum to refer to people who opposed the Dream Act as engaging in “thinly veiled racism.” Mr. O‘Malley, Chairman of the Democrat Governors’ Association, praised Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry for his support of a Texas law that allows illegal immigrants to receive a taxpayer-financed benefit for college tuition. O’Malley said, “I do admire his willingness to stand up to the immigration bashers and thinly veiled racism and scapegoating that is so rampant in their party.”
Delegate Pat McDonough who is the honorary Chairman of the successful petition drive to place the Maryland Dream Act on the 2012 ballot, called O’Malley’s remarks, “Divisive, unfair, and inaccurate hate speech. To brand an entire national party as racist is inflammatory and below the dignity of a sitting governor, especially one who has a national platform as Chairman of the Democrat Governors’ Association. It is blatantly inaccurate since many Democrat legislators in the Maryland General Assembly voted against the Dream Act, including African-American lawmakers. One hundred thirty thousand Maryland voters signed the petition, almost half of them were non-Republicans, and many were from the African-American community. Governor O’Malley resorted to name-calling like other proponents of illegal aliens instead of engaging in intelligent debate. Recently, Vice President Biden referred to Tea Party activists as ‘terrorists.’ Teamster President Jimmy Hoffa used violent language to stir up the crowd against the Tea Party movement while introducing President Obama. And Nancy Pelosi referred to them as racists. Governor O’Malley’s insulting remarks fall into the same category of uncivil personal attacks.”
O’Malley’s use of the term “immigrant bashing” is dishonest and a cheap political tactic. The Dream Act and other legislation the Governor promotes has nothing to do with “immigrants” but is totally related to “illegal aliens” as defined by federal law. The tone of
Maryland’s highest state elected official reflects the same misleading divisive campaign rhetoric used by the supporters of his “sanctuary” policies.
After the shooting of Arizona Representative Giffords, President Obama, in an eloquent speech to the nation, called for more civility in our national political discourse. Apparently, Governor O’Malley, Obama’s close political ally, failed to get the message.
The Democrat Governors’ Association should reprimand Governor O’Malley and deny any association with his overkill comments. Hopefully, the other Democrat governors do not support O’Malley’s language.
Governor O’Malley owes a public apology to not only the Republican Party, but to the large number of Maryland citizens who support the rule of law and respect American citizenship. Governor O’Malley has not only turned Maryland into a Disneyland for illegal aliens with his sanctuary policies costing taxpayers billions of dollars, but now has insulted them on a personal basis.
“I think we can do better. To begin that process, the Governor should offer a public apology and demand that his allies in the illegal alien movement use more civil commentary when attacking their opponents. Demonizing decent people for political gain is shameful,” concluded Delegate McDonough.
McDonough, an elected State official, lashing out publicly at a sitting Governor – isn’t that the same thing he is criticizing O’Malley for doing? To quote McDonough; “Demonizing decent people for political gain is shameful.” What a hypocrite!
I’m a Republican and I don’t agree with O’Malley on most things, but if I had a problem with something he said and I was in the State legislature, I’d take it up with the Governor in private – like a man.
Because he makes the press release himself, rather than urging a media source write a story on the subject, yes I agree with you.
He is grandstanding for maximum effect, rather than really trying to make anything substantive happen.
Which is disgraceful.
Take it up with him in private why? Because you think he misspoke? Because you think he’ll come out and apologize? Please.
If you wanted to get a private audience with his majesty to talk about something he did that you didn’t like your chances would be somewhere between zero and none. The governor does not have time for speaking to mere mortals who are stupid enough to disagree with him.
Right, that way the Left could say anything, anytime, no matter how incendiary, and nothing would ever be said publicly about it by those being maligned. But they’d be real men and keep their indignation behind closed doors. Brilliant…that’ll show them.
I have read several of your posts BRUCEO and now understand why you would try to defend McDonough. Neither of you are doing the conservative cause any favors. Next time, try not to help. Thanks.
I guess the larger issue will be settled by THE PEOPLE on election day. If the Govenor truly believed in the democratic process he, and the dream act supporters, should not fear the public vote. After all the Govenor and the legislators are elected to represent WE THE PEOPLE, not their party or own personal views.
I am a a signer of the petition to stop the Dream Act but the argument Del. McDonough is making is without merit. The Delegate is implying there is only one kind of racism and it is literally a black and white issue “… Democrat legislators in the Maryland General Assembly voted against the Dream Act, including African-American lawmakers”. I do not think the Dream Act should become law but the movement is at a loss to have Del. McDonough as our chief spokesman, once again he has proven himself an intellectual midget.
Correct, adding that black legislators opposed the act and that black voters signed the petition implies that black people are incapable of racism. Which is obviously not true, because last time I checked they were human like the rest of us, for better and worse.
But the petition is not about race or immigrants, which is the point he is very clumsily trying to make.
It’s a mixed bag. The intellecutal ability and lacking quality of those who lead us is astonishing.
The only thing I have to say to McDonough is “O sancta virginitas simplicitasque”.
McDonough is a hyprocrit and an embarrassment to the people of Maryland.
I thought Delegate Neil Parrott was the one who lead the successful petition drive. Oh wait, McDonough put “Honorary Chairman”, much like people who get honorary degrees from Universities, it means they didn’t actually do anything, don’t have any knowledge on the subject, but it looks good on paper.
First, I had not heard about our MD gov’s comments until I read about it from Del McDonough so at a baseline level I appreciate the information.
Second, I agree with the Delegate that Gov O’ is out of state trying to bash people of his state who want immigration to be legal. I do not want to pay for illegals and the benefits they get. Its basic law abiding nature. You are legal I don’t care if you are purple, you’re in, just follow the laws and get along etc. Why can’t the Gov understand that position. Yes, MD has gone too far on this illegal alien issue, telling those who do not support illegals they are racists is wrong for the Gov to do. Education and related benefits to illegal persons is wrong.
Gov. O’Malley was absolutely right in calling McDonough a racist. Anti immigrant racism is at its peak right now in an attempt by right wingers to shift the blame from the problems they bestow upon our country.