Those are the words of Bruce Braley, a Democrat Iowa who holds the Iowa House District 1 seat and is also running for Tom Harkin’s U.S. Senate seat.
Braley wants King to apologize for saying, while being interviewed on immigration and the DREAM Act: “For every [DREAMer] who’s a valedictorian, there’s another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds — and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.”
Braley – and others – have taken issue with King’s statement, saying “These comments are offensive, and damaging to Iowa’s reputation as a welcoming and inclusive state where the American dream is still alive and well. Call on Rep. King to apologize immediately.”
Braley is offering a petition that people can sign, which would be presented to King. The petition states to King “Your comments about immigrants in America were offensive and damaging to your home state of Iowa. We need leadership on immigration reform — not more offensive rhetoric. I’m calling on you to apologize immediately for your remarks.”
King has not backed down from his remarks. He held anti-immigration rally in Virginia Monday evening, telling the small crowd that “undocumented immigrants will ‘empower the Democrat power brokers if you give them a chance to vote’”.
On Sunday, King appeared on a nationally-televised political show and said “My numbers have not been debunked. I said valedictorians compared to people who would be legalized under the act that are drug smugglers coming across the border.”
