http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Special:Search?search=John+Brownlee

HOWEVER, now Cuccinelli has responded to the false allegations of Brownlee and stated he is NOT opposed to E-Verify. I’m a little more hesitant in applying it to small businesses but, if it can be done in a non-cumbersome manner, I’ll favor it for small private businesses to.

Loudoun Insider- good news for you. Cuccinelli shares your opinion. I guess you’ll join fiscal conservatives and support Cuccinelli now?

DJ, your prosecutor is worthless without good laws. Good laws that Cuccinelli got PASSED with a good deal of personal effort. Go look up the bills. You’ll see Cuccinelli time and again.

Again, read the update. Brownlee falsely painted Cuccinelli as being opposed to E-Verify. Not only does he not opposed it, he was key on getting legislation passed blocking the hire of illegals aliens.

Any lawyer representing large or small business should shudder at that.

The employer has a duty, by law, to keep records containing this information. So employers have already been required to verify a person’s immigration status, and that has been the law for a long, long, time.

The only new thing about E-verify is the “E”–employers can electronically verify the information on the I-9 with the government, rather than keep paper copies. If you ask me, it sounds less cumbersome than having to store the paper copies for a number of years.

What’s really at issue here for me that Cuccinelli, who is against E-verify, sponsored legislation–which is now the law–requiring all parties contracting with the Commonwealth to certify that they do not employ any illegal aliens. More than that, on construction contracts in particular, a main contractor (called a “prime contractor”) has to certify that every single subcontractor hired for the project did not employ any illegal aliens on the project.

I don’t have a problem with the law requiring contractors to ensure that no illegals are in their employ, and I don’t have a problem one way or the other with e-verify. The problem in my view is that at the same time Cuccinelli is in favor of placing such an burden on business (i.e., certification by every contractor that no illegals are employed on a project by anyone) he is not in favor of legislation that actually makes that goal workable.

On a practical level, it just goes to show that the guy hasn’t really thought his way through the issue. Its classic Cuccinelli–it really seems like the guy shoots from the hip and flies by the seat of his pants. Thats fine if you are a part-time state Senator with a part-time law practice, but it is not fine if for an Attorney General.

I’ve admired Sen. Cuccinelli for quite some time. But the bottom line is John Brownlee is more qualified. . There’s a huge difference between discussing these issues in the state senate and actually doing the job and seeing that these laws are enforced.

Brownlee is the ONLY candidate to truly be in the trenches battling illegal immigration in Virginia. These are issues the Attorney General will face on day one and John Brownlee is the ONLY candidate that is ready to do the job on day one. I guess some people have to “split hairs” to somehow legitimize Cuccinelli’s soft stance on this issue.

I like the idea. Show that it won’t be too cumbersome on small business and maybe we have something.

I have to agree with Brian though, this is getting down to splitting hairs. If you want to find difference to highlight, try the many good things that Cuccinelli has already done legislatively. I do think Brownlee would be a better friend to “Big Government” , this post doesn’t demonstrate that effectively. In fact it makes Brownlee look better on the illegal immigration issue.

Take a look at what Cuccinelli has actually done(not talked about):

“In 2008, we successfully passed my legislation that requires the Commonwealth of Virginia and contractors doing business with the Commonwealth to check the legal status of all new employees. This law also ensures that those contractors who cheat by hiring illegal aliens can now be terminated as state contractors. ” -Cuccinelli’s web site

“Virginia taxpayers should not be required to subsidize college tuition for citizens of other countries. I have consistently voted against in-state tuition for illegal aliens. ” – Cuccinelli’s web site

“Most localities have rules about how many unrelated persons can live in the same house. In 2007, I drafted and passed legislation to allow counties and cities to investigate and punish illegal boarding houses – one of the most common side effects of illegal immigration. ”
- Cuccinelli’s web site

“I have also supported legislation to require proof of identity when voting and to provide a means to remove non-citizens from the voter rolls. ”
- Cuccinelli’s web site

The fact is, Cuccinelli has actually DONE things to protect the Rule of Law and give meaning to LEGAL immigration. Let’s focus on that.