Representative Tony Gonzales (R-TX) said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that he was “very disappointed’ President Joe Biden did not let him be a part of his visit to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Partial transcript as follows:
MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. Last time you were here, you said you want to go with President Biden to the border. He’s going there today. Are you participating at all? Have you had any contact with the White House about migration?
GONZALES: I’m very disappointed in the administration. You know, seven months ago, I hosted the President in Uvalde and I asked him to visit on the border. He looked me in the eye and he said, Tony, yes. Seven months later, when I tried to be part of this El Paso visit, which I represent El Paso. I represent 50 – nearly 50% of the southern border. The White House told me I wasn’t I wasn’t able to be part of it.
BRENNAN: Why?
GONZALES: What does that mean? That means that means that Democrats are using this as a political – they think this is a political challenge, not a policy challenge. Clearly that you know, you see these images a couple of weeks ago of hundreds of people in a cell. That’s not a political challenge. That is a policy challenge.
BRENNAN: Why? Why did they tell you can’t come? What did they say?
GONZALES: I don’t know. That’s the frustrating part. You know, on one end, you’re hearing them say – you know that they want to work with Republicans. I’m not this crazy, extremist Republican. I’m jumping up and down, pushing against my party when I think it’s right, looking for ways to solve problems. What I don’t want to see is a terrorist action happen and say, I told you so. I have no interest in that. I’m trying to keep America safe. The administration just has turned a blind eye. And it goes to show they think that their policy is correct. And it’s dangerous. If you’re- it should scare the hell out of every American out there to say this administration is going to gonna double down. And it’s going to taint the Biden administration. It’s going to taint Biden’s legacy.
