Josh Rogin from Bloomberg has an interesting piece up on the White House refusing to provide background information on Syrian refugees set to be released in the U.S., but you have to click through and read the article to find out the best part. It’s Governor Jerry Brown of California who’s making the argument for why the White House needs to be more transparent in what it’s doing:
White House rejects state demands for information on Syrian refugees, says @joshrogin https://t.co/bb5nTKpB5Z via @BV
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) November 18, 2015
An excerpt:
Brown said he favored continuing to admit Syrian refugees but wanted the federal government to hand over information that would allow states to keep track of them, the GOP state official said.
McDonough responded to Brown that there was currently no process in place to give states such information and the administration saw no reason to change the status quo. The non-governmental organizations that help resettle the refugees would have such information.
Brown countered by noting that state law enforcement agencies have active investigations into suspected radicals and that information about incoming Syrian refugees could help maintain their awareness about potential radicalization. He suggested the U.S. had to adjust the way it operates in light of the Paris attacks.
Why wouldn’t the White House share this information?
As we reported yesterday, President Obama accused the GOP of acting as a “potent recruiting tool” for ISIS over similar rhetoric. Will he now attack his buddy in California for saying the same thing? (We know the answer.)
Earlier in day yesterday, Brown emailed a statement to reporters saying he’d work closely with President Obama on vetting the refugees.
Statement from Jerry Brown on Syria refugees –> pic.twitter.com/CEXsU5NFCS
— Chris Megerian (@ChrisMegerian) November 16, 2015
Oops.
In the meantime, all we can do is mock the “most transparent administration in history” … again:
This will end well https://t.co/c8oB8vtNYn
— Wendy Morris (@morrislaw) November 18, 2015
State governors are not informed when refugees are housed in their states. https://t.co/cZmGUTfPnv
— Jeremy (@jthurgood1) November 18, 2015
Because "Most transparent administration in history" https://t.co/7j7sxw4jlq
— Damn True (@DamnTrue) November 18, 2015
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Related:
President scolds those opposed to refugee plan for being ‘scared of widows and orphans’
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