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King Lashes Out at House Speaker John Boehner After Losing Immigration Chairmanship

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Representative Steve KingLast week, Steve King, who was ready and eager to become Chairman of the Immigration Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee, was left more than a little aggravated when Republican leaders thought it best to give the chairmanship to a similarly anti-immigrant — though less vocal– member of the House Judiciary Committee: Rep. Elton Gallegly. 

Still smarting from the decision made last week, Steve King lashed out today at House Speaker John Boehner.  The National Journal blog reports King saying:

“The speaker holds the big gavel, and he decides who gets the other gavels,” King said. “It makes it very clear that it’s not a meritocracy.”

Rep. King goes on to complain that House Speaker John Boehner isn’t nearly aggresive enough for his tastes when it comes to immigration:

“John Boehner isn’t very aggressive on immigration,” King said, noting that the GOP “Pledge to America” barely mentions immigration or border security. “It’s the tiniest section,” he said.

Boehner, who has an immigration rating of 83% by United States Border Control, a group whose website echoes anti-immigrant rhetoric and claims to “work with Congress to stop amnesty,” is hardly a “softie” on immigration matters.