Former Donald Trump White House communications official Alyssa Farah Griffin tore into Republicans in Congress on CNN Tuesday for immediately lining up against the immigration and foreign aid deal they helped negotiate as Trump whipped opposition to it solely so that there could be an unsolved crisis he could run on in the election.
The deal, which now faces slim odds of passing, would create new requirements to shut down border crossings, tighten asylum requirements, and expedite removals of migrants, in return for lifting visa caps and giving legal counsel to unaccompanied child migrants.
"Start with the power the president still wields over Republicans, even Republicans who have criticized his stance on immigration before," said anchor Poppy Harlow. "What's the backup plan? Is it to wait 350 days and hope trump is inaugurated as president? And you've been critical of him on this, the stronghold he has on this."
"It's nothing like I've seen in my political lifetime," said Griffin. "Lawmakers are scared of him."
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"Let me put it this way: this bill would have never gotten to the floor in a John Boehner house," Griffin said. "This is a very conservative bill negotiated by James Lankford, one of the most conservative members of the Senate. This is inarguably a win for people who want border security. I'm frankly surprised Democrats are willing to go as far as they are, but Donald Trump cannot give a win to Joe Biden, so he is pressuring House Republicans and Senators to oppose this, and it honestly looks like — it will likely pass the Senate with a lot of Republican nos and dead on arrival in the House."
"It's remarkably craven," she continued. "The challenge, though, is, are the Biden folks going to be able to communicate in the next ten months. I tried to secure the border but Donald Trump convinced Republicans to block it? That's the hard part."
Watch the video below or at the link here.
Alyssa Farah Griffin slams "craven" Republicans for blocking border dealwww.youtube.com
