Majority Leader Mitch McConnell isn't super keen on the criminal justice reform bill that his No. 2, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, is trying to usher through the Senate, reports Carl Hulse. The bill seeks to ease mandatory sentencing for non-violent offenders but McConnell worries that it might take up valuable Senate time (which he would surely reallocate to something super important). So why not scare the bejeezus out of everyone by citing one of the most effective and racist attack ads of all time: Willie Horton.
Opposition to the legislation boiled up at a closed party lunch last week, with Mr. Cotton taking a strong position against the bill. Mr. McConnell, one attendee said, reminded senators of the case of Willie Horton, the Massachusetts felon who committed violent crimes while on furlough and became an issue in the 1988 presidential race.
McConnell with the assist for good ol' Tom Cotton, the Senate's angry hatchet man! It must be pretty maddening for Cornyn, a former Texas judge and attorney general, to be blindsided by McConnell's alliance with the trigger-happy new kid on the block. But Cornyn remains sunny.
“Some people are now realizing for the first time that they may have to vote on this thing, so they need more information,” said Mr. Cornyn, who added that he would be asking colleagues what changes might be needed to win their backing.
He said that Mr. McConnell would like to lessen the party divisions before deciding to devote weeks of scarce Senate floor time to the criminal justice proposition.
Oh yes, Willie Horton was absolutely the route to take toward lessening party divisions.