June 15, 2018 10:59 AM UTC

Trump Torpedoes Immigration Compromise

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• by: Colorado Pols

CNN reports, President Donald Trump has spiked the best-laid plans of more civil Republicans once again:

President Donald Trump on Friday morning delivered a potentially fatal blow to a compromise immigration bill under development in the House.

Trump said on Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” that he is not planning to sign the negotiated measure.

“I’m looking at both of them. I certainly wouldn’t sign the more moderate one,” Trump said. “I need a bill that gives this country tremendous border security. I have to have that. We have to get rid of catch-and-release.”

…The rejection of the compromise contradicts messaging from the White House in recent days.

Earlier this week, top White House adviser Stephen Miller, a known hardliner on immigration, was on the Hill telling key conservatives the White House was supportive of the negotiations on the bill, and House Speaker Paul Ryan told his GOP members behind closed doors that he had been in touch with Trump who was “excited” about the process.

But that’s not the story today–and Rep. Mike Coffman, who has staked a good chunk of his political future on getting a “compassionate” immigration reform deal through his hard-right Republican House leadership and on to the President’s desk, lashed out against Trump on Twitter earlier this morning:

The President’s comments are totally counterproductive and completely undermine the progress we are making. He needs to ignore the shrill voices in his ear, and recognize this for the opportunity it is — he can be the leader who could get what Bush and Obama couldn’t get done…

— Rep. Mike Coffman (@RepMikeCoffman) June 15, 2018

Wow! But wait, isn’t this the same Coffman who said just a few months ago of the same Donald Trump:

“He’s got the credibility in terms of being tough on immigration and I think he’s the only one, probably, within the Republican Party that can solve this issue,” Coffman said. [Pols emphasis]

Why yes, yes he was! And as far as the attempt to pass comprehensive immigration reform under President Barack Obama back in 2013–as we recall, didn’t Mike Coffman have something to say about that too?

I think both parties have it wrong right now. [Pols emphasis]

Well, scratch that then! As for President George W. Bush’s failed attempt at immigration reform, Coffman wasn’t in Congress then–but his predecessor Tom Tancredo was, and readers will recall that back then Coffman and Tancredo were much tighter on immigration than Coffman purports to be today. And here’s what Coffman said about Bush’s efforts back then:

And with that, our work is done here. There are Republicans in Congress today who have credibility when it comes to this long-vexing issue, and a consistent record of trying to find solutions so that doesn’t smack of contrivance and political desperation.

Mike Coffman is not one of those Republicans. In every way that counts, he is part of the problem.