GOP presidential candidate George Pataki is now the first GOP candidate to go after fellow contender Donald Trump on his statements regarding illegal immigration.
Pataki posted on Twitter:
I reject @RealDonaldTrump comments & call on GOP candidates for President to join me in denouncing them @JebBush @marcorubio @RandPaul #FITN
— George E. Pataki (@GovernorPataki) July 1, 2015
Trump responded:
@GovernorPataki was a terrible governor of NY, one of the worst — would’ve been swamped if he ran again! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2015
@GovernorPataki couldn’t be elected dog catcher if he ran again—so he didn’t! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2015
Some statements Trump made during his presidential announcement speech are causing controversy.
“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best… They’re sending people who have lots of problems,” Trump said. “They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people.”
This statement caused a firestorm of reaction from Hispanic groups, which pressured Univision and NBC to cut business ties with Trump.
GOP presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz backed Trump’s statement Tuesday, saying he shouldn’t apologize for it.
Pataki’s attack on Trump comes the same day Trump took second place in an Iowa poll – holding second also in New Hampshire and nationwide – climbing the polls since his formal launch two weeks ago.
Pataki registers less than one percent support currently on the latest CNN/ORC poll.
Pataki put out “a lengthy press release” according to Mediaite, where he “compares what Trump said to how Irish immigrants were once demonized as drunks or how Italian immigrants were demonized as “mobsters” and “dagos.””
Pataki calls on his fellow Republicans to shame Trump’s statement:
My fellow Republicans like to talk about how we have to appeal to the Latino vote if we are going to win back the White House. They speak some Spanish, boast about “telling it like it is,” or counsel to not be afraid to lose the primary to win the general – yet so far have been silent when it comes to denouncing these sad and divisive remarks…
As Donald Trump doubles down, I’m asking you to join me in standing up. Stand up for our party, for the ideals that made America great, and stand for the basic decency and integrity entitled to every American, no matter their heritage or nationality.
Join me. Stand up now. Denounce his comments today.
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