Republican candidates for governor slow to address border crisis.
If silence speaks volumes, Republican candidates for governor published an entire series on the escalating border crisis.
The normally verbose candidates were mum on the Trump administration’s policy of separating migrant children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. No social media posts, no press releases and, until Hearst Connecticut Media asked, no public comments.
“The silence from my Republican opponents is deafening. So let’s try again. Where do my fellow candidates for governor stand: with Laura Bush and the kids or with Donald Trump?” Democrat Ned Lamont tweeted Tuesday morning, referencing an Op-Ed in which former First Lady Laura Bush denounced the practice.
No one answered Lamont’s Tweet.
Once asked, some Republican candidates issued statements.
“Speaking as the mayor of a large, culturally diverse urban center who has dealt with the issue of illegal immigration for more than a decade, there simply has to be a better way to uphold federal immigration laws without breaking up families,” Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said in an email.
Westport tech entrepreneur Steve Obsitnik read a prepared statement over the phone.
“I fully support securing the borders, but the sep- aration of children from their parents is unacceptable,” Obsitnik said. “We need to repeal the law that has enabled this. This law has been on the books for over 20 years, and we need to secure our borders using humane and pro-family methods.”
Pressed on what he thinks about the forced separations, Obsitnik repeated his prepared statement.
Some governors, including Republicans, have pulled or withheld their National Guard support at the border until the zero tolerance policy announced by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on April 6, is revoked. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called the practice cruel, cowardly and unAmerican.
More than 2,300 children were separated from their parents between May 5 and June 9, according to the most recent data released by the Department of Homeland Security.
“As a father of five these stories of separated families disturb me greatly,” Greenwich hedge fund mogul David Stemerman said in an e-mailed statement. “I’m glad to hear there is growing bipartisan support to address this issue quickly. I’m confident that a balance can be achieved between secur- ing the border and ensuring no young children are ever separated from their parents.”
Former Trumbull First Selectman Tim Herbst and Madison businessman Bob Stefanowski did not return repeated requests for comment on the issue in time for publication.
Democrats were swifter in their response to the national headlines.
“We cannot let @realDonaldTrump @GOP policies of racism and bigotry continue — every CT TrumpRepublican must denounce! @CTDems join #Colorado & #Massachusetts to #resist — refuse CT support of #Immigration policies separating / incarcerating children,” Democrat Guy Smith tweeted Tuesday morning.