Feds suggest state GOP broke law in hiring immigrant to key post

Ok, so this guy (Ron Nehring, who heads the California Republican Party) who is associated with Grover Norquist hires another Norquist drone who happens to be an immigrant . Then we find out he is not as squeaky clean as we were told and he resigns. And it seems the CA GOP didn't even do the bare minimum to confirm he is legal to work in the US. And they still want to be called the 'grown-ups'.

Well, read below the fold...

California Republican Party officials might have violated federal immigration law by hiring an Australian immigrant for a top finance post without ever demanding to see his proof of legal residence, immigration officials said Tuesday.

Ron Nehring, who heads the California Republican Party, admitted Tuesday that he -- and as far as he knows, any party officials -- never saw the green card that would prove that Michael Kamburowski, an Australian citizen hired as the state GOP's chief operations officer, was a legal resident.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division said Tuesday the law is clear that "it is the responsibility of the employers to check and see that someone is legally in the country and eligible to work."

The Chronicle reported Sunday that Kamburowski -- an Australian immigrant who was hired as the GOP's chief operations officer in March to oversee the party's multi-million-dollar campaign accounts -- was ordered deported in 2001, later was jailed on visa violations in 2004 and since has filed a $5 million wrongful arrest lawsuit against U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials, according to court documents on file in U.S. District Court.

SF Chron story

So Bush deports him, and he sues. Using one of those hated (until they need one) trial lawyers (Michael DiRaimundo) to get a big pay-out. Yep, true repubic party 'values'.

•  any interest in this story?

  I live here so I am following it, but not sure how it is playing outside Ca.

  by tony the American Mutt on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 07:17:05 AM PDT

  •  Not really interested.

    Dude's got a green card and is legal to live and work in the USA. He's probably within a year of having citizenship.

    At some point he would have had to fill tax forms (W-2, etc) in order to get paid. That process includes writing in his A#, SSN, etc, and showing proof (a photocopy is usually made). Unless the GOP is also being accused of violating IRS regulations, I'm not sure I see what the scandal is. The 'vetting' of employee paperwork is a task for HR, not the freaking governing board.

    Does anyone wish to suggest that Americans for Tax Reform is engaging is tax fraud? No? Then how did Nehring legally work for Norquist?

    ...Nice that the CA-GOP base will froth at the mouth about it though. I guess anything which gets them to stay home should be considered a 'good thing'.

    by opendna on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 09:40:20 AM PDT

    •  if al that is true, why did he resign?

      Just asking...of course part of the reason for the 'frothing' is that they went for someone with zero experience and from reports from his former employers not much going on upstairs (pretty much defines a Norquist-drone)just to get a crony a cushy job.

      by tony the American Mutt on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 12:06:11 PM PDT

      •  The reason for the frothing

        is he's not a true-blue American. The CA-GOP rank and file gets uppity at the implication that there are no qualified Americans for the job. He is insufficiently American for OC republicans, so he needed to go, but that doesn't mean anyone broke the law.

        IIRC, he's the second non-citizen they've hired for top spots in the CA-GOP in the last two months. (The other guy was a Canadian?)

        by opendna on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 12:59:48 PM PDT

        •  The guvenator

          has a soft spot for migrants.

          by Richard Lyon on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 01:09:02 PM PDT

          •  True.

            And that has been noted with considerable irritation by the anti-immigrant wing. His reported comments about the Minute Men ("Now I know what bigotry looks like." or something similar) were not received well within his party.

            The governor may be pro-immigrant but the spiritual and financial home of the CA-GOP is Orange County, which is decidedly not pro-immigrant.

            by opendna on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 01:41:18 PM PDT

            •  The California GOP

              has seemed bent of self destruction for years. They couldn't even adapt to ride on the coattails of Bush and Rove while those lasted. Arnold has turned out to be a more skilled politician than I expected. The question is what he's going to do from here.

              by Richard Lyon on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 02:06:27 PM PDT

              •  There are rumors he may challenge Boxer. /nt

                by opendna on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 03:40:40 PM PDT

                •  Hmmmm

                  Now that could be an interesting fight.

                  by Richard Lyon on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 03:45:20 PM PDT

                •  his chances of beating boxer for the senate seat

                  are as good as mine are.

                  i say let him run against her and let's see how he campaigns against a real powerful, adroit, respected and accomplished politician.

                  few of those attributes have ever been in the challenger's name when running against arnold.

                  plus, one can't say that he has been a great governor.  not by a long shot.

                  _______________

                  it's their screen name because they couldn't figure out how to spell "moran."

                  -9.75 (e), -7.18 (s)

                  by dadanation on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 08:54:37 PM PDT

•  To paraphrase the late 1950s TV philosopher,

  Ricky Ricardo, the California GOP "has got a lot 'plaining to do!"

  by Randall Sherman on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 07:21:18 AM PDT

  •  That would be "'splainin'" n/t

    by bustacap on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 08:24:02 AM PDT

    •  complainin'?

      by opendna on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 09:41:19 AM PDT

•  Oh come on now

  Give me a freaking break, that Australian guy is white.  I mean, it's not like he was brown or something.  /snark

  by bustacap on Wed Jun 27, 2007 at 08:23:30 AM PDT