Raul Labrador is an immigration attorney who is running for U.S. Congress. He is just finishing his second term in the Idaho House of Representatives. During his time in the House he has proven to be one of the most consistently conservative statesmen in Idaho. He consistently answers the question: What is best for Idaho and Idahoans. As such he has consistently opposed any effort to raise our taxes.

Because he is an attorney with a specialty in immigration it has been his task to defend all sorts of clients, including some who were guilty of other crimes. Ethically, when an attorney takes a case he must do all he knows to do to protect the best interest of his client.

In a recent guest editorial Jan Conner asked why Labrador has not made his stand clear on immigration. Well, it seems that he has to continue to state the case over and over again. Anyone who wants to hear it in his own words has only to go to his web site at: www.labrador4idaho.com and find out for himself.

In her missive Jan Conner said: "I also had received documentation that Mr. Labrador defended an illegal alien that committed murder, but was allowed to stay in our state due to Labrador's defense." I made every effort to contact Jan this morning, to set her right, but her phone must be out of order. Almost nothing in this statement is true. Let us look at it.

First off, the man was not an illegal alien, but he was "a lawful permanent resident" at the time of the hearing. The man (Javier Sotelo) had been convicted of a number of immigration violations including illegal and forged papers etc, and served several months in jail as a result of that. The board did not find that his crimes amounted to "aggravated felony," though they were fairly serious. The man also had an arrest warrant for "murder" in Mexico, but had not been tried and convicted.

During the hearing, the man admitted that he was deportable because he had been convicted of serious crimes, but asked for leniency because he had resided in the United States for a long period of time and he had a wife and children who were legal residents of the United States. The members of the Board of Immigration Appeals said that the bad was greater than the good and ordered to deport the man. Therefore he was not allowed to "stay in our state."

Anyone who wants to read the case for himself will find it at: http://www.justice.gov/eoir/efoia/bia/Decisions/Revdec/pdfDEC/3460.pdf

It is surprising that the issue of immigration continues to come up. No one I know has taken a stronger stand against illegal immigration than Raul Labrador. Stop them at the border, enforce existing laws, NO AMNESTY, and no pathway to citizenship. And, just for the record he strongly supports Arizona's right to enforce the law under SB1070.

Raul Labrador has made it abundantly clear that we would not be in this mess if the federal government would enforce the law. The spectacle of large areas in Arizona abandoned to the drug forces is hard to understand: We fight terrorism abroad, but cannot secure our own land. Labrador has pointed out time and again that Arizona has suffered enough and we need to stand with them.

Again I believe that Labrador is just right for Idaho. If you hear something about what he believes take time to be sure of the source before you share it with others. Walt Minnick may have a lot more money to spend, but I believe that we have right on our side, and that can make considerable difference. If your friends have questions send them to Labrador's website for the answers. Comments: jimhollingsworth@verizon.net

Jim Hollingsworth is a Coeur d'Alene resident.