Republican megadonor Mike Fernandez said he will not contribute to elected officials and candidates who refuse to fix immigration laws, Politico is reporting.
The Cuban-born Fernandez, a Florida healthcare mogul, said he is cutting off funds to politicians who will not act to fix the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which President Donald Trump has cancelled.
"Over the last 10 years, the Republican Party has received $47 million from me, in state, gubernatorial and party contributions," Fernandez said. "I’m not writing one penny to any of them anymore."
Fernandez told Politico he is behind a strategy to punish lawmakers who will not sign a discharge petition in the House to bring about a showdown over the fate of the so-called Dreamers.
And Fernandez claimed he has already enlisted dozens of donors in Florida, North Carolina and Tennessee, who will join him in cutting off funds to those who don’t act on DACA.
"The discharge petition is to bring the issue to the floor and let a resolution come, if it comes from the White House, if it comes from Democrats, let it come through. No one should have the authority to prohibit a debate on the House floor," Fernandez said. "And that is exactly what Speaker (Paul) Ryan has done in the House. I have been a supporter of Speaker Ryan, I think he’s playing chicken and needs to get a backbone."
John Rowe, a multi-millionaire Republican donor also has warned he will cut back contributions – or eliminate them completely – to GOP lawmakers who refuse to press for legislation protecting those covered by DACA.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.