Ted Cruz: “This effort represents an inappropriate governmental intrusion into the personal and political views of American citizens and businesses.”
Ted Cruz and Dick Durbin (Zimbio)
Earlier this week Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin shot off a letter to conservative donors of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) demanding they announce their position on Stand Your Ground laws.
Politico reported:
As reported in Roll Call, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) has sent letters to 300 companies connected with the American Legislative Exchange Council, better known as ALEC, regarding “stand your ground.” Durbin is asking the companies whether they support “stand your ground” laws or not.
Hearings on “stand your ground” will be held in Florida. That was decided after the Dream Defenders successfully demanded hearings on the law and Florida Republicans agreed. Sen. Durbin, who is chair of the Senate Judiciary’s subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights, will hold hearings on “stand your ground” in September. Unsurprisingly, no hearings on the subject are expected on the GOP controlled House side.
John Hinderaker at Power Line shredded Durbin over this latest political stunt.
There are multiple layers of stupidity here, so let’s try to itemize at least some of them:
1) Self-defense is a matter of state, not federal, law. Why is Durbin’s Judiciary Subcommittee holding a hearing on a topic that cannot, and will not, result in federal legislation?
2) “Stand your ground” had nothing to do with the Trayvon Martin case, as both prosecutors and defense lawyers said, and as we and many others have explained countless times. Is Dick Durbin really one of the few who don’t get this?
3) As Durbin’s own press release states, around 30 states have some some sort of stand your ground legislation. That is a clear majority. There is a reason for this. Most people think such laws are a good idea, as shown by, for example, a strong 45% -32% plurality in this Rasmussen survey. It is not necessary to investigate the influence of some nefarious “lobby” to explain why popular legislation is enacted in 30 states.
Today U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) released the following statement regarding Sen. Dick Durbin’s (D-IL) letter to donors of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC):
Senator Durbin’s request for ALEC supporters to announce an official position on gun laws in advance of a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee hearing is inappropriate, and I encourage recipients not to respond. While Senator Durbin is free to make any inquiry he likes, in my view this effort represents an inappropriate governmental intrusion into the personal and political views of American citizens and businesses.
In light of the current IRS targeting scandal, this action raises concerns about retaliation against those who may disagree with the Chairman and the Obama Administration.
