At tonight’s State of the Union address, if you scan the crowd for Colorado’s Sen. Cory Gardner, you will find him sitting with Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Tim Scott (R-SC) in protest of President Obama’s plan to transfer potential terrorists from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to American soil. It’s not just Colorado that is being eyed as a potential daycare for terrorists – South Carolina and Kansas are, too.
In a press conference on this topic, Gardner drove home the point that President Obama had intentionally violated the law by spending federal money to send a team to Colorado to review a closed state prison site, which would take millions to retrofit. The law says that no federal funds may be used to bring Gitmo detainees to the United States. Here’s what Gardner said:
“The American people and Congress have been extremely clear: Guantanamo Bay houses some of the world’s deadliest terrorists. They do not belong back on the battlefield fighting against us, nor do they belong on U.S. soil. Bringing them herewould be reckless and dangerous. The President should abandon this misguided political plan.”
With 30 percent of detainees returning to terrorism, Gardner, Roberts, and Scott are rightly concerned about warehousing terrorists in their states. But, it’s also the cost and logistics of bringing them to an American state. According to a press release, it will cost “hundreds of millions” to construct a new facility (but it will probably be done before the Aurora VA facility). Plus, having terrorists in Colorado’s backyard makes the state a target for acts of terror.
Coloradans should thank Gardner, Roberts, and Scott for standing up for us against President Obama’s unlawful executive actions. If the President promises to curtail his use of unlawful executive actions, we promise to stop criticizing him up for playing golf. Deal? He’s far less dangerous on the golf course.