
Echoing an immigartion position that has been consistent ever since Democratic presidential Martin O’Malley unveiled a comprehensive plan in July, a O’Malley campaign spokesperson said last night that Hillary Clinton should focus on releasing her own plan to inform voters instead of just criticizing Republicans.
“While Republicans may have elected a new Speaker who shares their party’s age-old political problems, our party needs decisive, progressive leadership like Governor O’Malley’s to ensure that we fix our inhumane immigration system once and for all,” O’Malley for President spokeswoman Gabi Domenzain said in a statement. “It’s easy to slam Republicans, but harder to put forward proactive ideas. And Secretary Clinton still has not put forward any immigration plan whatsoever.”
Domenzain’s statement was in response to a Clinton campaign statement about how new House Speaker Paul Ryan has no intention in working on a comprehensive immigration reform bill while President Obama is still in office.
Hillary Clinton Latino outreach director knocks Paul Ryan for ruling out immigration reform. pic.twitter.com/ajMXAZF3Ev
— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) November 2, 2015
“We cannot allow the fate of millions of families to fall prey to political football or to whims of states’ rights. Secretary Clinton should join Governor O’Malley by proposing a concrete plan to ensure that New Americans will, in fact, be safe in her Administration,” Domenzain added.
For months, the O’Malley campaign has been proactive in focusing on Latino voter issues, usually the first Democratic candidate taking the lead on matters such as immigration, with the Clinton campaign reacting to what the O’Malley presents. It is a point the former Maryland governor made in a recent interview with Latino USA at a stop in Boston. O’Malley said that Clinton is always “following” him on issues that pertain to Latinos.
“Once again we lead, and she follows,” O’Malley said. “I intend to lead with ideas. I believe that leadership is often times saying things first and being ahead of the pack. Any nitwit can follow a poll, but leadership means forging a new consensus and very often speaking out on issues that others are ignoring.”
O’Malley also said that it was “morally reprehensible” for the country to detain immigrant families and called the immigration rhetoric from Donald Trump “racist hate speech.”
Nonetheless, O’Malley’s standing in national and state polls is still a distant third from both Clinton and Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.
Featured image: Martin O’Malley talking with Latino USA in Boston, MA (CREDIT/Julio Ricardo Varela)