Perry accuses Obama administration of fueling 'surge' in illegal immigrant children

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is accusing the Obama administration of "perpetuating" a recent "surge" in illegal immigrant children who are crossing into the U.S. from Mexico and Central America without their parents and often falling straight into government care.

In a letter obtained by Fox News, Perry wrote to President Obama on Friday citing stats that show more than 5,200 "unaccompanied minors" were taken into U.S. custody in the first six months of the fiscal year -- a more than 90 percent increase compared with the same period a year ago.

Perry, a former Republican presidential candidate, claimed that a failure to immediately send them back is "perpetuating the problem" by encouraging other children and teenagers to make the trek. He said the journey is dangerous for the children, and their flow into the United States is a burden on his state and others. The governor urged the administration to eliminate the "temptation" to make "this tragic and illegal migration."

"Every day of delay risks more lives," Perry wrote. "Every child allowed to remain encourages hundreds more to attempt the journey. Our country can no longer provide the temptation for these unaccompanied minors to engage in this tragic and illegal migration. To end it, the federal government must stop new arrivals at the border, repatriate those already here and prevent and discourage others."

It's unclear exactly how many are being sent back. Perry claimed that an administration member "indicated" fewer than 10 percent are being deported. The children reportedly are coming into the U.S. for a range of reasons, looking for jobs as well as family members in the States.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/07/perry-accuses-obama-administration-fueling-urge-in-illegal-immigrant-children/?test=latestnews#ixzz1uF0eni9f

Rick Perry gets OK from FEC to create super PAC

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been given the go-ahead to create a new political action committee or super PAC with the leftover funds from his failed presidential campaign.

The Federal Election Commission approved Perry's request today. Perry also won permission to place the unused presidential money in his gubernatorial campaign account, if he so chooses.

As of Feb. 29, Perry had about $675,000 left in his presidential account out of $19.9 million raised.

It is not uncommon for candidates for federal office to form new PACs with unused campaign money or to donate that cash to other candidates. Read More

Obama administration blocks Texas voter ID law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Monday blocked a new law in Texas requiring voters to show photo identification before they can cast a ballot, citing a concern that it could harm Hispanic voters who lacked such documents.
The law, which was approved in May 2011, required voters to show government-issued photo identification, such as a driver's license, military identification card, birth certificate with a photo, current U.S. passport, or concealed handgun permit.
The Justice Department said that data from Texas showed that almost 11 percent of Hispanic voters, or more than 300,000, did not have a driver's license or state-issued identification card, and that plans to mitigate those concerns were incomplete.
"Hispanic registered voters are more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic registered voters to lack such identification," Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez, head of the department's civil rights division, said in a letter outlining the objection to the Texas director of elections.
Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry criticized the decision, saying he was obligated to ensure the integrity of elections.
"The DOJ has no valid reason for rejecting this important law, which requires nothing more extensive than the type of photo identification necessary to receive a library card or board an airplane," he said in a statement.
It was the second state voter identification law blocked by the Obama administration, which earlier prevented a strict new law in South Carolina from taking effect. South Carolina then sued in federal court seeking approval of its law.
Under the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act, certain states like Texas must seek approval from the Justice Department or the federal courts for changes made to state voting laws and boundaries for voting districts. Read More

Perry: Romney Abortion Flip Was for 'Convenience'

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Texas Gov. Rick Perry says Mitt Romney changed his position on legalized abortion out of political convenience.

Romney supported legalized abortion while Massachusetts governor. He says he changed his mind after weighing legislation that would have created new embryos to be destroyed.

Perry told an anti-abortion forum in South Carolina on Wednesday that it's hard to understand how a public official could change his views on something as fundamental as abortion in his 50s.

He says Romney made the decision "for political convenience."

Perry and fellow presidential contenders Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul told the forum they believe human life begins at conception.

Romney declined to attend the event held in Greenville.

Read more on Newsmax.com: Perry: Romney Abortion Flip Was for 'Convenience'

Perry drops out of Republican presidential race, endorses Gingrich !!!

Rick Perry dropped out of the presidential race Thursday and endorsed Newt Gingrich, a move that comes just two days before the South Carolina Republican primary.

The Texas governor, saying he will return to his state "with pride," announced in South Carolina that "there is no viable path forward for me in this 2012 campaign."

After surging to the front of the GOP field upon entering the race last summer, Perry struggled to sustain that support and endured disappointing finishes in the leadoff Iowa and New Hampshire contests. He said Thursday he entered the race with a "sense of calling," but realizes "when it's time to make a strategic retreat."

"I've always believed the mission is greater than the man," Perry said.
The Texas governor offered a brief but robust endorsement of former House speaker Gingrich on his way out of the race, calling him a "conservative visionary." While Perry is polling only in single digits in South Carolina, his endorsement could make a difference in the tightening contest if his supporters gravitate toward a particular candidate.
"Newt is not perfect, but who among us is? The fact is there is forgiveness for those who seek God. And I believe in the power of redemption," Perry said. "I have no question that Newt Gingrich has the heart of a conservative reformer, the ability to rally and captivate the conservative movement."
Gingrich said in a statement he is "humbled and honored" to have Perry's support.
Perry was seen as competing for social conservative supporters alongside Rick Santorum and Gingrich, though the latter two candidates were faring much better in the polls.
Gingrich has been trying to lock down support of primary voters who are reluctant to back front-runner Mitt Romney, even urging Santorum and Perry to drop out earlier in the week. Following a strong debate performance on Monday, recent polls have shown Gingrich closing the gap with Romney -- two new polls even show Gingrich narrowly leading in South Carolina.
But the race remains in flux. Santorum enjoyed a burst of good news Thursday when the Iowa GOP announced that certified vote totals showed Santorum actually led Romney by 34 votes in the Iowa caucuses. Party officials initially said Romney won that contest by eight votes. The results from eight precincts are missing, making it virtually impossible to declare an official winner, but the Iowa announcement Thursday could help Santorum build the case for his candidacy. He and Ron Paul have trailed Gingrich and Romney in most recent polls.
Gingrich also is bracing for an interview set to air Thursday night with his second ex-wife, while Romney continues to face questions about his personal wealth and tax records.
Perry is withdrawing ahead of another presidential debate Thursday night. The Texas governor has struggled at the debates -- his campaign took one of its biggest hits at a debate last year when he failed to initially recall which three federal departments he wanted to abolish. Perry plans to return to Texas after announcing his withdrawal late Thursday morning.
Perry is the second candidate this week to withdraw from the race. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman earlier dropped out following a distant third finish in the New Hampshire primary. He endorsed Romney for the nomination.




Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/01/19/perry-to-drop-out-gop-presidential-race/#ixzz1jvf8wNNV

TURKEY and U.S. STATE DEPT seething over Rick Perry’s call to kick Turkey out of NATO for its increasingly IslamoFascist government

Can’t you just see it? Hillary Clinton prostrating herself in front of the Turkish Ambassador, trying to pretend that Rick Perry’s remarks about Turkey were something other than a statement of fact.

Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan

 MEDIAITE Turkish Ambassador to the United States Namik Tan hit back at Texas Governor Rick Perry after his remarks that spurred an international incident during last night’s Republican debate where he called the country “ruled by what many would perceive to be Islamic terrorists” and suggested the country be kicked out of NATO and its foreign aid be eliminated.

“I am disappointed and concerned that Turkey and its time-tested ties of alliance, partnership and friendship with the United States became the object of misplaced and ill-advised criticism during last night’s Republican candidates’ debate,” Tan wrote in a statement. “Needless to say, the Turkey described in the debate simply does not exist.”

 Rick Perry Suggests Turkey Should Be Kicked Out Of NATO, Calls Leaders ‘Islamic Terrorists’

Turkish PM Erdogan's radical Islamist agenda

Tan affirmed Turkey’s commitment to democracy, calling the Texas Governor’s remarks “unfortunate” and hoping Republican candidates would begin treating the nation with “respect not disdain.”

In addition the Turkish ambassador’s statement, the State Department strongly condemned Perry’s remarks as well. “We absolutely and fundamentally disagree with that assertion,” declared State Department spokesman Mark Toner. “Rest assured that we believe that Turkey is a stalwart ally.

(I guess they’ve forgotten how Turkey refused to allow our planes to fly over its airspace or use their military air bases for the Iraq War. Or how they sponsored a boatload of terrorists who tried to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza)

Rick Perry on eliminating regulations

Video: Gingrich surging in South Carolina

The InsiderAdvantage poll of South Carolina likely Republican primary voters shows Newt Gingrich surging, coming within a statistical tie of Mitt Romney.

The poll of 726 registered voters was completed Wednesday night and offered the following results:

Romney -- 23 percent

Gingrich -- 21 percent

Santorum -- 14 percent

Paul -- 13 percent

Huntsman -- 7 percent

Perry -- 5 percent

Read more on Newsmax.com: Poll: Gingrich Surging in South Carolina 

Three new polls show former House Speaker Newt Gingrich gaining on Mitt Romney in South Carolina and emerging as the clear conservative choice of voters who are not backing the former Massachusetts governor for the Republican presidential nomination.

An Insider Advantage/Majority Opinion Research survey completed on Thursday shows that Gingrich is actually in a statistical tie with Romney in South Carolina, with 21.3 percent of the vote to Romney’s 23.1.

Gingrich leads Romney in several demographic groups, including voters 18 to 29 years old, black voters, male voters, and Independents.

Ron Paul and Rick Santorum each received 13 percent of the vote.

The latest Rasmussen Reports poll of likely Republican voters in South Carolina finds Romney ahead with 28 percent of the vote, but Gingrich has moved into second place with 21 percent. Santorum had been in second a week ago, but has now fallen back to 16 percent, dead even with Paul.

And an American Research Group (ARG) poll completed Thursday shows that Gingrich has closed the gap with Romney to just four points in South Carolina. Romney drew 29 percent of the votes, down from 31 percent a week earlier, while Gingrich rose from 24 percent to 25 percent. Santorum, meanwhile, plunged from 24 percent to just 7 percent, and Paul now has 20 percent of the votes.

The ARG survey also found Gingrich leading Romney among voters who say they are supporters of the tea party, 28 percent to 24 percent. Among evangelical Christians, Gingrich gets 40 percent of the vote, followed by Rick Perry with 15 percent, Romney with 13 percent, Santorum with 12 percent, and Paul at 10 percent.

That poll also shows that Paul has overtaken Romney as the favorite among Independents, beating Romney by a margin of 29 percent to 27 percent.

Read more on Newsmax.com: 3 Polls Show Newt Gaining on Romney 

Sarah Palin reacts to Santorum's surge, Bachmann's exit and Perry's push forward

Iowa Caucuses Shake Up GOP Field.

Perry Confronts Politico's Mike Allen Over Story: ‘You Got a Name ???’

Rick Perry confronts Politico's Mike Allen in person over the publication's report that unnamed members of his senior staff are blaming the way the campaign was handled for what has resulted thus far. Transcript of the exchange below:

Mike Allen, Politico: "Governor, some of your staffers have told us that you ran this as a gubernatorial campaign for too long and you didn't look big enough, get big enough, fast enough. Do you take some responsibility?"

Gov. Rick Perry: "I don't know who you are talking to, so I can't respond unless you give me a name."

Allen: "These are members of your staff."

Perry: "You got a name?"

Allen: "Who say --"

Perry: "You got a name?"

[pause]

Allen: "You won't listen to --"

Perry: "You got a name?"

Allen: "Uh."

Perry: "If you don't have a name to tell me this individual said this, then I don't take that as a corroborating source."

Four candidates join Perry in suing Virginia !!!

(CNN) - Four candidates left off the Virginia Republican primary ballot joined Rick Perry Saturday in suing the state's board of elections over laws they say are "unconstitutional."


Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum joined the lawsuit, originally filed Tuesday, challenging provisions that determine who can appear on the primary ballot.


On Wednesday, Gingrich cited fraud as the reason he didn’t make it onto the ballot, laying the blame on one of his campaign's paid volunteers.


"We hired somebody who turned in false signatures. We turned in 11,100 – we needed 10,000 – 1,500 of them were by one guy who frankly committed fraud,” Gingrich said.


On Saturday, Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond said they were looking into the petition fraud case, but that their top priority was getting on the ballot.


All five candidates filing the lawsuit failed to qualify for the ballot.


Huntsman, Bachmann and Santorum did not file petitions with the Virginia State Board of Elections that would have allowed them a place in the state's primary. Gingrich and Perry filed petitions that were later rejected by the Republican Party of Virginia for not meeting requirements.


Virginia requires candidates to obtain 10,000 signatures from registered voters in the state, with at least 400 signatures coming from each of the commonwealth's 11 congressional districts.


In the lawsuit filed Tuesday, Perry said the statutes of Virginia law that regulate access to the ballot were "among the most onerous in the nation and severely restrict who may obtain petition signatures."


In their release Saturday, Bachmann, Gingrich, Huntsman and Santorum request the board of elections add their names to the ballot, saying it will avoid "unnecessary costs and expenses to the state and the parties" that would be incurred by moving the lawsuit forward.


Immediately after his petition was rejected by the Virginia GOP, Gingrich said he would launch a write-in campaign. It was later determined that Virginia specifically prohibits write-in candidates in primary elections.


Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul both successfully filed petitions to appear on the Virginia ballot.


The state holds its Republican primary on Super Tuesday, March 6.

Radio spot from Perry hits Santorum on earmarks !!!

(CNN) - Rick Perry's campaign wasted no time going after Rick Santorum following the release of a new CNN/Time/ORC International poll that showed the former Pennsylvania senator surging into third place in Iowa.

In a new radio ad released by Perry's team Thursday, Santorum is portrayed as a free-spending Washington insider who voted for earmarks and wasteful spending during his time in Congress.

The ad mimics a game show, asking questions of contestants like "Which Republican running for president voted for the bridge to nowhere?" and "Who personally demanded more that $1 billion in earmarks to his sixteen years in Congress?"

Each time the announcer proclaims the answer: "Rick Santorum!"

The spot features a clip of Santorum saying he was "very proud of the earmarks" he wrote into spending legislation.

"Rick Santorum is proud of feeding at the earmark trough in Congress," Perry's ad proclaims.

Perry Campaign Sues to Get on Virginia Ballot

Perry VA Ballot Access

CBS NEWS
Texas Gov. Rick Perry's campaign said Tuesday it is filing a lawsuit to get on the ballot in the Virginia primary election after state officials announced last week that he failed to turn in the requisite 10,000 signatures.


"Virginia ballot access rules are among the most onerous and are particularly problematic in a multi-candidate election," said Perry campaign communications director Ray Sullivan in a statement. "We believe that the Virginia provisions unconstitutionally restrict the rights of candidates and voters by severely restricting access to the ballot, and we hope to have those provisions overturned or modified to provide greater ballot access to Virginia voters and the candidates seeking to earn their support."


The campaign maintained that it turned in 11,911 signatures by the deadline when reporters inquired about the state's announcement that the campaign had fallen short. Newt Gingrich also failed to hand in enough signatures, despite a last-minute push to gather supporters in the state. Only former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul have been certified to appear on the ballot in the state's March 6 primary.


The Virginia Board of Elections has said the ballot is set barring a court order. Perry's campaign is not the only group seeking to change the state's rules: Bill Pascoe of a conservative organization called Citizens for the Republic is considering a challenge to the ballot certification process based on the fact that only candidates who submitted less than 15,000 signatures had their petitions cross-referenced with voting roles, which Pascoe said leaves the system open to fraud.


"We're prepared to take this to the Pope," he told CBS News.


In the press release announcing the court challenge, Perry's campaign noted that only119,034 Virginians voted in the 2008 Republican primary, making the 10,000 signature requirement "unrealistic and onerous." The legal challenge is seeking to both get Perry's name on the ballot and to rule the state's ballot access requirements held unconstitutional.

In pursuit, GOP contenders rumble through Iowa

Three Republican presidential candidates, each claiming to be the truly conservative alternative to Mitt Romney, are launching bus tours Tuesday through this early nominating state.
Just a week before Iowa's leadoff caucuses, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich prepared to rumble through small towns aboard their campaign buses. They're looking for supporters one at a time and hoping to become a roadblock for Romney, who is looking stronger than expected. Romney returns to Iowa on Tuesday after a quick stop in his long-established stronghold of New Hampshire.
Ahead of the Jan. 3 caucuses that officially begin the GOP's nominating calendar, the candidates were returning for a final rush of speeches, meet-and-greet stops and town hall-style meetings. And they are bracing for one last round of advertising, which most observers are expecting to be nasty.
Each campaign has also tried to gauge the level of enthusiasm for Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. The libertarian favorite has built a strong organization here and recent polls suggest he is peaking, a rise that has him tied with or even ahead of Romney _ and drawing more scrutiny for his views.
"There's really three primaries going on here," former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania told reporters in Adel, where he went hunting for pheasant and quail. "There's the libertarian primary, which Ron Paul is going to win. Then you've got the moderate primary, which Gingrich and Romney are scrumming for. And you've got three folks who are running as strong conservatives."
He included himself, Bachmann and Perry in that conservative camp. Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman signaled early on he would not compete in Iowa and instead plans to start his campaign in New Hampshire.
But with time ticking down in Iowa, several hopefuls are packing their days with rambling road trips to sparsely populated corners of the state. If history is a predictor, some of these candidates will be former candidates after the first contest.
Bachmann last week began her effort to visit each of the state's 99 counties, an ambitious pace that left her darting into diners and gas stations for quick visits. She was set to return to that pace early Tuesday in Council Bluffs, on the state's western edge. By nightfall, she was slated to have visited another 10 counties.
Perry was set to begin his tour in Council Bluffs several hours later. He planned just four stops during his day.
Gingrich was ready to return to the opposite side of the state, with three stops in Dubuque.
Paul was set to return Wednesday for a late push ahead of the New Year's holiday.
Many of those expected to participate in the caucuses remain undecided, and most of the contenders have seen their fortunes rise quickly and then deflate. Romney and Santorum have remained relatively steady: Romney solidly near the top and Santorum consistently struggling to build support.
Yet Santorum alone has achieved the accomplishment of visiting all 99 counties. With more than 350 campaign events behind him this year, he is hoping the early groundwork _ and a possible late surge _ help him beat expectations.
He was slated to start his day in Fort Dodge, in the deeply conservative far northwest corner of the state.




Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/science/in-pursuit-gop-contenders-rumble-through-iowa/article_4053f030-2aee-5632-be42-cf8242d61394.html#ixzz1hjaUNizW

Perry Defends Sheriff Joe

Governor Rick Perry is coming to the defense of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, in light of a scathing Justice Department report against the self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in America. Feds claim a 3-year probe into the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office shows Arpaio committed a wide range of civil rights violations against Latinos through racial profiling and discrimination.

Perry called the charges little more than a political hit job during an interview Thursday with Fox's Neil Cavuto. "I don't know what all the details are but I do know this, that nothing surprises me out of this administration," Governor Perry said. "I would suggest to you that these people are after Sheriff Joe, he is tough, and again when I'm president of the United States you're not gonna see me going after states like Arizona."

The Perry camp went even further, releasing this statement: "Governor Perry knows Sheriff Arpaio as a dedicated law enforcement professional fighting to keep his neighbors safe in the wake of federal failures to secure the border and deal with border crime. The Justice Department's action smacks of politics, as do so many of the Obama Administration's misguided actions and excuses."

In addition to the civil rights investigation over his infamous immigration sweeps, a federal grand jury has been looking into whether Arpaio's office abused its power by using excessive force against Latinos. As part of the report, Arpaio must set up new policies against discrimination, improve training, and make other changes that would be monitored by a judge. Arpaio has until January fourth to decide if he wants to comply.

Perry secured Sheriff Joe's endorsement less than three weeks ago.

Read more: http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/12/15/perry-defends-sheriff-joe#ixzz1gjN7GEVj

Perry Wants to Be 'Tim Tebow of Iowa Caucuses'

SIOUX CITY — Rick Perry says he wants to be the Tim Tebow of the Iowa caucuses.

At Thursday's debate in Iowa — the last before voters in the state vote Jan. 3 — Perry said that, like the Denver Broncos quarterback, he's been underestimated.

Perry has struggled in the debates, and in one he paused awkwardly, unable to remember the third federal agency he would dismantle if elected.

But he said Thursday night he's, in his words, "kind of getting to where I like these debates."

Perry said if he becomes the GOP nominee, he and Democratic President Barack Obama "will get it on."

THE $10,000 BET HEARD AROUND THE WORLD: ROMNEY CHALLENGES PERRY ON GOP DEBATE STAGE

The Blaze

Whether it was sarcastic, a heat of the moment gesture or “putting your money where your mouth is,” Mitt Romney offering a $10,000 bet on stage to Rick Perry in regards to the Texas Governor’sfrequent claim that Romney has been inconsistent on his position on the individual health insurance mandate, was met with strong reactions from debate viewers. Here’s a Mediate clip of the exchange from Saturday night’s GOP debate in Iowa:

“Perry: I’m hearing you say all the right things. But I read your first book and it said in there that your mandate in Massachusetts, which should be the model for the country — I know it came out of the reprint of the book, but, you know, I’m just saying, you were for individual mandates, my friend.

Romney: You know what, you’ve raised that before, Rick. and you’re wrong.

Perry: It was true then, it’s true now

Romney: Rick, I’ll tell you what, 10,000 bucks, $10,000 bet.

Perry: I’m not in the betting business.”

Many have commented that nonchalantly making a $10,000 bet on stage, does not help the millionaire Romney in his constant struggle to appeal to voters as “just another everyday Joe.”

Former Obama White House aide Bill Burton responded to Romney’s bet on Twitter writing that “Not a lot of 99%’ers are out there making $10,000 bets.”  The L.A. Times reports that the Democratic National Committee quickly fired off a mass email Saturday night titled “What the Average American Family Can Buy With $10,000.”

Romney responded to Perry’s claim, following the betting business, by elaborating that his book says each state should be able to design its own system for its citizens.

“I have not said in that book, first edition or the latest edition, anything about our plan being a national model imposed on the nation,” Romney added.

CBS News reports that the Perry campaign emailed reporters soon after the exchange with a release headlined “Romney deletes his own words from his book.” An attack the Perry Campaign has used against Romney in the past.

Rick Perry’s New Faith Ad

When you run for president, you get a bunch of questions about your faith. People want to know what drives you--how you make decisions.

Now some liberals say that faith is a sign of weakness. Well, they're wrong.

I think we all need God's help. America's greatest leaders have been people of strong faith, of strong values. That makes for a strong America.

I'm Rick Perry. I'm not ashamed to talk about my faith. And I approve of this message.

Rick Perry 'Tonight Show' Appearance

GOP Presidential Candidate Uses Late-Night Show to Make Light of His Gaffes

Part-time Congress ??? Would Perry's Plan Solve Debt Crisis ???

GOP presidential candidate wants 'part-time' Congress