Leave it to California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) to exaggerate - in his state's typical Hollywood melodramatic fashion - concerning the announcement that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against the state of California for “'sanctuary' policies that try to protect illegal immigrants against deportation.
Brown spoke at a press conference on Wednesday in Sacramento and responded in a way that only a liberal California politician can: ill-informed.
"This is basically going to war against the state of California, the engine of the American economy," Brown said. "It’s not wise, it’s not right, and it will not stand."
War? Really? Is Brown tough enough to actually make a statement like that and mean it? Just a year ago there was talk that the state of California was going to secede from the U.S., because they couldn't handle the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.
The DOJ lawsuit specifically targets three recent law changes that California put in place to aid illegal immigrants from being detained, incarcerated or possibly even deported.
According to The Hill:
One law requires employers to give notice to employees if immigration authorities are going to conduct enforcement operations on the job site. Another allows California’s Department of Justice to inspect federal detention facilities where undocumented immigrants are held.
A third prevents state and local law enforcement officers from cooperating with federal immigration authorities to transfer or facilitate detentions of undocumented immigrants in state custody. Opponents of the third measure, S.B. 54, say it makes California a sanctuary jurisdiction for undocumented immigrants.
Brown also called out the Trump administration for being "liars" and acting like "Fox News."
"This is really unprecedented for the chief law enforcement [officer] of the United States to come out to California and act more like Fox News than a law enforcement officer," Brown said. "This is a political stunt. It's more like Fox News and what's going on in Washington."
"Like so many in the Trump administration," Brown continued, "this Attorney General [Sessions] has no regard for the truth."
Maybe Brown should ask Kate Steinle's family about "the truth."
On a side note, Brown said something else that might raise a few eyebrows.
"We want to protect our citizens from criminals," Brown said. "We to protect people from improper abuse of the law."
Is there a proper way to abuse the law? And if Brown wanted to protect the citizens of his state from criminals, why is he so inept at following the law in order to prosecute those engaging in illegal activity?
Way to go, Jerry. You've built yourself up to be a legend in your own mind - which must be exhausting.
For video of the press conference, watch below ("War" comment at the 15:24 mark):