Following last week’s terrorist attacks in Paris, two Republican candidates — Lt. Gov. Phil Scott and retired Wall Street banker Bruce Lisman — told Vermont Public Radio Tuesday that they would like to temporarily halt the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States. Authorities have blamed the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria for the attacks, which killed at least 129 people, but news accounts have indicated that most, if not all, of the suspects were French and Belgian nationals.
On Thursday, Democratic candidate Matt Dunne accused his Republican opponents of “playing to our worst fears.”
“I have to say that when I heard Phil Scott’s position on it, I was extremely disappointed,” said Dunne, a community affairs director at Google and a former state senator. “I would have hoped that Phil would be someone who would not just fall in line with the right-wing Republicans in Congress.”
Meanwhile, Scott appeared to walk back the tone, if not the substance, of his comments.
“When asked what I would do, I probably should have gone a little further to explain that I don’t understand the situation and I certainly don’t feel like we can pause or stop the refugee program in its entirety,” he said. “But I do honestly feel the highest obligation of any government is to ensure the safety and security of every citizen.”
“It could be a matter of days — if they could explain to the states, the governors that question this — I think it could be a matter of days to continue with the process,” he said. “I don’t think it should be stopped.”
When Seven Days pointed out that top White House, Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation officials had briefed a bipartisan group of 34 governors on the refugee screening process Tuesday, Scott said, “I need to have faith in the process, too. I wasn’t part of the briefing. Maybe they explained it.”
To that end, the lieutenant governor said, he’d spoken briefly with Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn, who he said agreed to “get a couple of people together to explain it to me.”
Scott said his “pause” policy should not apply solely to Syrians, but to “the refugee program in its entirety.” He did not appear familiar with the extent of Syria’s refugee crisis, estimating that “hundreds of thousands” had been displaced by the four-year-old civil war.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has registered nearly 4.3 million Syrian refugees outside their country, while the U.S. Agency for International Development has estimated that another 6.5 million are internally-displaced within Syria’s borders. President Obama has committed to admitting at least 10,000 Syrians into the U.S. this year, but only 1,854 had been admitted by the end of September.
Dunne’s tough talk mirrored that of Obama and Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, both of whom have eviscerated Republicans in recent days for questioning the refugee resettlement program.
“I think that these folks that are making comments like this are promoting fear, are promoting hatred, are promoting bigotry, at a time when we should be reaching out as Vermonters and saying, ‘How can we help?’ when folks are escaping from horrid, horrid circumstances,” Shumlin told the Vermont Press Bureau on Wednesday.
Dunne said Thursday that he “couldn’t have been prouder to have been a Vermonter” after hearing Shumlin “standing up to fear-mongers to call for what is right and moral and just.”
“I certainly understand why Vermonters are concerned and are ambivalent, perhaps, about our role in accepting refugees fleeing from this crisis, but for me it is very much a matter of human rights. My position is that we should continue to do our part,” she said. “Vermonters have always been a part of a tradition of being accepting in crisis — and that’s who these refugees are.”
Minter’s own family served as hosts for a family of five Meshketian Turks who immigrated to the state in 2006 through the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program. She said the experience gave her a “firsthand view of what it means to be without a home, without a community, without a country.” Two members of that family remain in Vermont, Minter said, and “have become hardworking members of our community” and U.S. citizens “after a great deal of hard, hard work.”
“I think the key is, we wouldn’t want to send a message now, when people are being terrorized through rape and violence and fleeing their country — we would not want to send a message that we are not here to assist them in crisis,” Minter said.
“Until we understand better the vetting process and get comfort from those people in positions to know — the FBI and all — we should take a pause in admitting Syrian refugees,” Lisman said.
When Seven Days mentioned Tuesday’s White House briefing, the candidate said, “Cut that out. Don’t be facetious … Listen, I wasn’t on that call. I didn’t read news reports about it.”
Asked if his policy prescription applied to Iraqi refugees, he said, “It might.” Asked if it applied to Afghanis, Libyans, Yemenis, Palestinians and others, he said, “I get the drift of your questions. It’s possible to extend that to other places in the world, and that’s not practical either. We are a nation of immigrants. On the matter of Syrian refugees, the stream is just so large and the situation is so chaotic, I think it’s reasonable to ask for greater information.”
Both Lisman and Scott distanced themselves from comments made by presidential candidates of their own party, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who have suggested that Christian refugees be held to a different standard.
“That’s not my point of view,” Lisman said. “I don’t think religion determines the value of a person.”
Said Scott, “I don’t think that that’s who we are as a nation. The majority of us are descendants of immigrants. Some of our past generations settled here because they were fleeing persecution in their homelands. So we have to work this out.”
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OMG, Matt Dunne is as clueless as Obama, not considering the safety of the American people by letting in people who can’t be vetted and no knowledge if there are potential terrorists sliding right in. If these people read the Constitution they would know the government’s responsibility is the protection of Americans. Phil Scott has to be lumped in the same group as them to be willing to allow their entry into the country. Then there is the issue of jobs, housing, and taxpayer costs.
As much as we need to help others we absolutely need to think of Americans first. Our help should end at sending them aid.
So what would they say if the worst situation is realized? Sorry, my bad? Our leaders always need to err on the side of caution, not through caution to the wind.
Perhaps if Mr. Dunne would read the newspaper or Internet he would realize over 54 % of the governors in other states have also determined to either halt or slow down the process of admitting refugees until a better vetting process can be designed. Keep in mind, not all of these governors were republicans!!!
Our actual Governor was briefed and is satisfied with the safeguards.
In point of fact, this means he knows more about it than Scott.
Scott himself says in the piece he doesn’t know what the safeguards are.
And it goes without saying that the easily frightened general public knows even less.
Remember Ebola?
And there was wide support for the shameful internment of the Japanese in WWII…
Oh for god’s sake, Dunne. Get off your high, politically motivated horse. Your shrill, fake indignation at Phil Scott is an embarrassment.
Much of this is being fueled by lousy reporting that started with Vermont Public Radio. Obviously, some folks have too much spare time on their hands. Mr. Dunne is resorting to political opportunism to gain traction in a political race when real people are still grieving over the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Here! Here! So glad to see candidates standing up and blasting this crazy rhetoric. Seriously the Government already vets refugees from areas of concern. This is a HUMANITARIAN CRISIS and we cannot stand by and should not stand by while individuals are suffering because of a few extremists. Educate yourselves.
Here’s the information from the White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/11/17/how-were-welcoming-syrian-refugees
Now take a look at how many refugees have been arrested on domestic terrorism charges since 9/11: http://fusion.net/story/234172/syrian-refugee-chart-explains-everything/
And finally consider that those involved in the French attack were predominately French and Belgian.
We are being cautious enough — these poor people are fleeing war, bombings, and horrific treatment. How dare we as a nation founded on immigration (my own Grandparents came here from Poland) turn people away and risk repeating some of our most shameful history.
Thank you Matt Dunne for speaking out!
Will Matt and his wife offer to house a refugee in their home? If not, then his words are hollow.
The issue is not wether the immigrants of today are here to blow us up or live in harmony but can we afford it. That answer is no. In every sector here in Vermont we are hurting and the added burden will be too much for the people who are struggling at present. Sorry but the answer is no !
The WH has lied to us once again. Someone within the powers of Washington has come out and said there is no way to vette these people because there is not the proper records in Syria. Plus there is no way to tell by records if someone supports ISIS, Al Queda, or any other terrorist group.
government..why did you leave Syria?
Syrian: to come to America.
government: do you have a criminal record?
Syrian: NO no never
government : are you a terrorist?
Syrian: NO no never
government: welcome to the United States
2 weeks later in headlines.. Syrian refugee killed mother and child as he bombed store..he said he wasn’t a terrorist when he was vetted..
Yup allow these terrorist in.. there is no way to vet them, there is no one to call in Syria to check on them.. So tell me how the refugee center in Vermont can vet these people better then anyone else.. lets face it Shumlin and Dune don’t care about Vermonters.. All the other Governors care about their citizens..Seems to me that our safety comes first,, BETTER TO BE SAFE THEN SORRY!!!
Cower in fear or move ahead with courage. Thank you Matt for calling out the fear.
No it’s watch your back or put a target on it. Matt Dunne apparently only cares about saying what will get him elected, not doing what’s best for Vermont.
This confirms that Matt Dunne will do or say whatever it takes to gain support, OTHER than showing people that he possesses any amount of integrity. This is political grandstanding at its finest, and, frankly, despicable. Using a refugee crisis for your own political gain shows that political discourse has reached an all-time low in Vermont, and that you, Mr. Dunne are seemingly an unprincipled slime the likes of which most people in this state are becoming quite tired of.
Shumlin’s Vermont-Press-Bureau Interview – You Just Can’t Make This Stuff Up !
If you still have any questions as to Peter Shumlin’s ability to think rationally (or speak in fully formed sentences) his appearance on the “Capital Beat” will put any questions to rest.
This article reveals just how bizarre and convoluted his thinking has become as he attempts to explain some kind of in the equivalence between the organized genocide of ISIS and the acts of deranged “lone wolves” in the U.S.
Here is a sample of Shumlin’s twisted logic:
“Foreign countries did not turn away Americans following a domestic terrorist attack, or after numerous mass shootings, he argued. “When some whack job terrorist goes into Oklahoma named McVeigh, Oklahoma City, blows up a building and kills hundreds of people, including over 30 children who are at a pre-school there, the rest of the world didn’t go, ‘Well, don’t let Americans into our country.’ My point is, this is a horrid, horrid circumstance, but the people that are trying to escape from Syria right now are hardworking, good people who are escaping death squads, who are escaping political prosecution, who are escaping horrid circumstances, and I say it is folks like that who built America, that built Vermont, and if we slam the door on them right now that’s a shameful act.”
How can he possibly know that “these people are hardworking, good people” it’s all the same drivel that Shumlin uses to describe everyone he chooses to favorably “spotlight” – it’s the kind of double-talk you expect from a ten year old child, but is a sign of deep rooted psychological troubles in a 56 year old “adult” !
I cannot continue as Shumlin’s inexplicable viewpoint is beyond explanation you can read the entire sad expose at: http://www.vermontpressbureau.com/2015/11/…
Scott now distances himself from Trump but his own reaction and the Republican governors reaction to Syrian refugees gave Trump the green light. I appreciate Dunne taking a stand in the midst of all the racist rhetoric. ..
The United States is currently welcoming refugees from over 80 countries. If those from three Middle Eastern countries cannot be vetted by the authorities; it does not mean that we will not be accepting any refugees – it just means we will accept MORE from those nations where there is less concern that those that we welcome to become our neighbors aren’t looking “to blow us up” (Mr. Shumlin’s colorful description). Additionally, Pat Leahy has described those who Syrians seeking asylum as being widows and children – which is not entirely true, as over 65% of those applying are young men between 18 and 45. Why have these able-bodied men not stayed behind to protect their women and children AND fight to reclaim their country from the ISIS hoard ?