Thursday, October 3, 2013

OOPS: Doug Gansler Campaign Video Highlights Unusual Endorser: Illegal Immigrants "Rapidly Depleting Tax Dollars"

Today a Maryland Juice source highlighted unusual support for Attorney General Doug Gansler's gubernatorial bid. You see, a few weeks ago Gansler released a kickoff video for his campaign, and among the testimonials was a statement of support from former Montgomery County police officer Mike Mancuso (see screenshot below):


But what's strange about Gansler's decision to highlight him in his campaign kickoff, is that Mancuso's extracurricular activities apparently include immigrant scapegoating in local newspapers. You can read excerpts from his musings below:
Washington Post (3/29/10): The Real Drag on Montgomery's Budget, By Mike Mancuso - "No one from Mr. Leggett on down has seriously addressed the No. 1 budget problem: an ever-increasing population of illegal immigrants that is rapidly depleting our tax dollars and services..... While these residents can no longer get a driver’s license, there are no restrictions on enrolling their children in schools, qualifying for in-county college tuition, obtaining medical, dental, mental health, prescription drug, housing, food and energy assistance, job opportunities and training, and more. Yes, there is a free lunch and a lot more in Montgomery.... Why should dedicated employees and taxpayers of Montgomery County suffer because of the county’s ineffective approach to illegal immigration?" 
Washington Examiner (4/6/10): MontCo's Immigration Policy is Real Budget Buster, By Mike Mancuso - "Leggett's and the council's policies have caused a huge influx of residents without 'legal presence' here.... When arrested for drunken driving or other serious offenses, many do not show up in court. Because of Leggett's refusal to fully cooperate with federal immigration agents, thousands of offenders become fugitives in our community. Police officers are limited in doing their best to protect the community. The problem is so bad that numerous illegal aliens are living in virtual shantytowns in Rock Creek Park, safe from police prosecution. The park has been trashed...."
Mancuso's views on immigration may be "informed" by his interactions with residents while on the job. A year before Mancuso began his letter-writing campaign, he made the following remarks about crime rates in The Gazette (excerpt below):
GAZETTE: To stem a surge in bench warrants issued for minor crimes and traffic citations, Montgomery County police are putting together a campaign that will ask Latinos to come forward to resolve their charges.

Police want to use $135,000 in federal stimulus money to launch a Spanish-language outreach campaign and to help cover overtime hours of police setting up "turn-in days" on evenings and weekends, said Lt. Mike Mancuso of the county's fugitive section....
As of the end of May, the number of active District Court warrants reached 14,465, Mancuso said. While that is not far above the norm, most of the increase is attributed to warrants issued on people with "Hispanic names," Mancuso said — in all, accounting for 46 percent.... Because many immigrants tend to move frequently or give the charging officer incorrect contact information, Mancuso said, making them difficult to find....

Police introduced the idea at a meeting of Police Chief J. Thomas Manger's Latino advisory committee last month. Some committee members worried that police were targeting the campaign on Latinos. They were also skeptical of how well the campaign would work because of the Latino community's fear of police because of immigration status....
After Gansler was embarassingly caught on candid camera claiming that Lt. Governor Anthony Brown was trying to win the Governor's race by campaigning on his race, this seems like another unforced error. Oy vey!

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