Senate Hopeful Hyped Notorious Worker Policy

Schaffer pegs support for program to '99 Abramoff junket
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 10, 2008 6:20 PM CDT

A Republican vying for Colorado's open Senate seat has said the Mariana Islands’ guest worker program—infamous for reports of forced abortion, slavery and child prostitution—should be a “model” for national immigration overhaul. Bob Schaffer’s support dates from a 1999 trip arranged by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the Denver Post reports, where the then-congressman stayed on a beach resort, parasailing between factory visits.

Abramoff’s job for the US protectorate, Josh Marshall adds on Talking Points Memo, was to find lawmakers who would travel to the islands and give a passing grade to sweatshops—and forestall changes to the immigration-law exemptions the Marianas boasted. A rep for Schaffer’s opponent called “pretty remarkable” how the Republican is “proud of his association with these sleazy Ambramoff-sponsored junkets.” (More Bob Schaffer stories.)

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