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Defense vote was about NM economy, Heinrich says
U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich
Though Martin Heinrich is fighting against a provision he worries would authorize the military to detain Americans without charge or trial, he voted for a defense bill that included it last week because, he says, of the importance of defense funding to New Mexico’s economy.
In December, I praised U.S. Rep. Martin Heinrich for voting against a defense-spending bill that included a controversial provision many believe would authorize the military to detain Americans without charge or trial.
“Even as he seeks the Senate seat being vacated by (Jeff) Bingaman next year, Heinrich took a principled stance that won’t benefit him politically,” I wrote in that column.
Heinrich has been under scrutiny since last week, when the defense-funding bill once again came up in the House for a vote. This time, the Democrat voted for it, even though it once again contained the detention provision.
Did Heinrich abandon his principles? Not at all, he told NMPolitics.net. He described a battle on the House floor to strip the detention language from the bill. It was a fight he and his allies lost.
While the GOP was divided over the detention provision last year, it was more unified in its support for the provision this time around, though Heinrich noted that one Tea Party-leaning Republican sided with him in fighting against the provision.
Heinrich pointed out that he was an early co-sponsor of a bill that would make clear that the military can’t detain Americans or lawful, permanent residents without charge or trial. He co-authored a commentary in the D.C. publication The Hill in January in support of that legislation.
“The right to a trial is a core principle of the American legal system,” that column states. “Depriving Americans of these essential liberties undermines the Constitution while doing nothing to strengthen our national security.”
So why vote for the defense bill this time around? Heinrich said he had to make a decision between voting against the entire bill because of the provision or voting for a bill that funds defense spending that is critical to New Mexico’s economy.
“I think the language is terrible,” Heinrich said of the detainment provision. “There are other things in the bill that are really important to New Mexico.”
That’s not the decision he made last time, he said, because in December the provision was added to the bill in the Senate and came up quickly for a House vote without time for a lot of scrutiny. This time he fought to remove the provision and is waging a larger campaign against it.
What it boils down to, Heinrich said, is that he has fought and will keep fighting to ensure the military can’t detain Americans or lawful, permanent residents without charge or trial, but he’s not going to sacrifice New Mexico’s economy and jobs in the process.
A pledge to keep fighting
Heinrich said he is going to keep pushing for a House vote on the bill that would clarify that detainment without charge or trial is not allowed. The defense-funding bill still needs Senate approval, and he said he and others would also be pushing the Senate to strip the detainment provision.
And, he said, there’s a lawsuit challenging the provision in New York State.
“I don’t think that this language is constitutionally consistent, and I’m hopeful that if we can’t get it stripped out in the short term, the courts will do it,” Heinrich said.
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The Republicans on this thread just want to see a dog fight. They want to see the Democrats chew each other up. The fact is, NM Democrats are honored to have really great choices this election. Democrats are running good candidates.
Balderas if he loses to Heinrich, is being primed to run for other positions of power in this state. He is a good Democrat and will serve NM well. If Balderas wins against Heinrich, he will be a great Senator that will work for the benefit of NM always protecting NM interests in Washington. If Heinrich wins, he will be a premier Senator having strategic experience in Washington. He will likewise always vie for the well-being of NM and stand for solid Democratic values. I prefer Heinrich in the primary but, I would have no hesitation to proudly vote for Balderas in the general. This is a great position for the Democrats to find themselves with a plethora of great choices in which we can vote with pride and security.
Very true stever, and political campaigns are like sports, you leave it all on the field if you are serious about winning, Mr. Balderas is not.
heard Hector on the radio this morning and he sure doesn’t want to criticize Martin, unless he throws Heather in with him. There is a lot to like about him he obviously is being very careful, probably too careful.
Thanks for that statement Heath. I do wish Mr. Balderas had been a tad more aggressive in his statement, he is obviously walking on egg shells as to not offend Heinrich and the party bosses who support him. But I have become accustomed to this level of his tepid campaign. I suspect we will not hear anything more about this in the final days of the campaign.
http://www.abqjournal.com/main/2012/05/23/news/balderas-opposes-defense-measure.html
From the article:
Thanks Heath, I don’t get that paper, and the link you gave is broken here. Maybe Mr. Balderas will make a campaign email or ad about that, it would help I think.
Dr. J, Balderas said he opposed the bill:
http://www.abqjournal.com/main/2012/05/23/news/balderas-opposes-defense-measure.html
No word on what his opponent, Mr.Balderas, thinks of this vote. If he disagrees, a good place to point out distinctions. Bueller? Bueller?
The trade-off of our most basic civil liberties and protections for jobs is everything wrong with politics.
This was a bone-head vote, with the lamest of rationale. I just switched my vote to Balderas. What a disappointment.
Martin. I’m disappointed in your vote on this. Sure hope it gets overturned by the Senate and/or vetoed by the President. Sort of understand your reasoning but totally disagree with your vote.
We need leadership in transitioning the labs and bases to R & D for the future green economy. The controversial provision for detention is bad news. But there is alot more to be concerned about with this bloated defense bill.
Classic election year flip flopping…if the same legislation came up last year or next year, we all know how Heinrich would vote.