Earlier this week, we wrote about 11-year-old Josie Molina Macaraeg, who bravely stepped up in a Tennessee town hall meeting with Rep. Scott Desjarlais to ask what she could do to help her dad, who is in deportation proceedings.
A heartless Desjarlais only told her that “the answer remains the same, that we have laws and that we need to follow those laws, and that’s where we’re at,” and Josie was left to sit down as the Tea Party audience clapped and cheered for Desjarlais’ answer.
Her story has made national news in a big way this week, however, and Josie went on MSNBC today to talk about her family her question to Desjarlais.
“I was hoping that he would say something that was more, like, helpful,” Josie said on MSNBC. “I was kind of mad at him.”
Watch the video of her interview (with her mom) below:
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Since the town hall, Desjarlais repeated his answer to her in a statement:
I felt I owed Ms. Molina an honest answer to her question. We are a nation of laws and breaking those laws have consequences. While this country has always had a generous immigration policy, we simply cannot condone individuals coming here illegally. As a member of Congress, I strongly believe I have a responsibility to be truthful, even if that means delivering difficult news.
But as MSNBC itself pointed out today, his strictness with the rule of law is pretty rich, considering that he’s one of the most scandal-tainted members of Congress:
Either DesJarlais has turned over a new leaf, or he’s not very good at following his own advice, because the lawmaker and former physician was fined in May of this year for having affairs with his patients—conduct which the Tennessee medical board found to have violated several state laws. The Huffington Post also reported last year that the Tea Party-backed Republican pressured one of his patients-turned-mistresses into getting an abortion.
Josie’s mom, Megan Macaraeg, noted that for their family, the threat of separation is an everyday reality.
“I’m used to it,” said Josie.
“But a little girl shouldn’t have to get used to something like that,” said her mother.
