In Saturday's Rochester Post Bulletin, Matthew Stowe reports in Hagedorn meets a restive crowd in town hall:
Perhaps the angriest response from his critics came when Hagedorn was asked about the family separations at the border. Asked about how he could justify government-sponsored child abuse, Hagedorn said he disagreed with that characterization.
"These are not concentration camps," Hagedorn said over the shouts from some in the crowd. "On that, we fundamentally disagree. The people that are there, they can leave. Nobody is holding them."
"How is a three-month-old baby going to leave," replied someone from the crowd.
Hagedorn's remarks and the response echo earlier news report about detention centers on the southern border. CNN reported on Tuesday, GOP rep [Michael Burgess] says migrant children 'are free to leave' facilities 'at any time.'
USA Today's Nicholas Wu reported on the reaction to Burgess's claim in GOP Rep. Michael Burgess says migrant children in one detention center can leave 'at any time':
Burgess' comments sparked outrage online. Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, called Burgess' remarks "monstrous."
Let’s not mince words. What is occurring with these kids at the border is a crime against humanity. And watching Rep. Michael Burgess of Texas dissemble on @chrislhayes shows how monstrous Republican lawmakers can be. Monstrous.
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) June 25, 2019
The American Enterprise Institute describes itself as:
The American Enterprise Institute is a public policy think tank dedicated to defending human dignity, expanding human potential, and building a freer and safer world. The work of our scholars and staff advances ideas rooted in our belief in democracy, free enterprise, American strength and global leadership, solidarity with those at the periphery of our society, and a pluralistic, entrepreneurial culture.
Wikipedia describes the AEI as "a Washington, D.C.-based conservative think tank that researches government, politics, economics, and social welfare..."
At the town hall on Rochester on Friday, the PB reports Hagedorn said:
"Let's be honest," he said. "I'm a conservative. I've been a conservative my whole life."
There's Hagedorn's brand of Mr. Conservative, first reported by Bluestem Prairie in October 2009 and amplified by Mother Jones' Tim Murphy in 2014's House Candidate Called Female Senators “Undeserving Bimbos in Tennis Shoes," and Mr. Ornstein's flavor. It's not for nothing that the Washington Examiner asked, Jim Hagedorn: The worst Republican candidate in America? in 2018. Nonetheless, Hagedorn flipped Governor Walz's former district by 1500 votes.
For a serious consideration of the situation on the very same day Hagedorn let that one out, check out Bluestem's post Watch MN House People of Color & Indigenous Caucus moving meeting about border crisis.
Additional coverage about the issue in the PB in Stolle's article, Faith groups call on Hagedorn to help refugees.
UPDATE July 3, 2019: The ever-excellent Hannah Jones at the City Pages found the YouTube of the town hall for her article, Congressman Jim Hagedorn says kids in Trump camps 'can leave' anytime they want. Here's the YouTube:
Photo: Via Congressman Hagedorn's Facebook page, the PB image from the article. As we write this, there are three comments. Read them.
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