Wonk Wire notes Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) put the brakes on an emerging immigration reform package over the weekend.
First Read: “If his role is to sell the legislation to conservatives, he can’t afford to be seen as rushing it through, so his tapping of the brakes is smart. On the other hand, if you’re an immigration-reform advocate, you have to be a bit concerned about the totality of the statements coming from him and office. (Remember, Rubio is a recent convert on comprehensive immigration reform.) Make no mistake: Rubio is the difference between the Senate bill getting 60 votes or 75 votes. And if it gets 75 votes, it has a MUCH better chance of clearing the House with a path to citizenship.”
Jeff Zeleny: “It is an attempt, a Rubio aide says, to ease perceptions that immigration reform is a done deal. Critics still point to the secrecy surrounding the 2007 immigration debate. This time, Rubio and others are calling for a more open and transparent process to litigate concerns. It remains an open question if that will help — or happen.”
