Visa Scandal Another Black Eye for Retiring Reid

The Senate’s top Democrat was more deeply involved than previously known in an effort to secure U.S. visas for Chinese investors in a Las Vegas casino despite the concerns of career federal officials, according to an inspector general report released on Tuesday. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) and his staff received weekly updates from top officials at U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding the status of visas for investors in the SLS Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, the report reveals. Executives at the casino’s parent company, a client of Reid’s son Rory, donated thousands of dollars to Reid’s campaign after he helped speed consideration of its applications for visas for its Chinese investors. [IG Report: Reid More Involved in Visa Controversy Than Previously Known, by Lachlan Markay, Washington Free Beacon, March 25, 2015]

Harry Reid has announced that he will not be running for re-election. And though he's not talking about it, it may be because of increased media attention to an emerging scandal where he tried to secure visas for Chinese investors.As we know from Reid's ties to Sheldon Adelson, Reid is not exactly a model of restraint and propriety when it comes to his donors. And it is a fitting end if this is what drives Harry Reid out of politics. After all, Reid once had an extremely strong record on immigration restriction before shifting to align with the current Democratic strategy of importing an underclass.

To quote our own Washington Watcher —

In 2006, The Drudge Report dug up Reid's press release on the bill from August 5, 1993. Reid did not mince his words in that release. “Our borders have overflowed with illegal immigrants placing tremendous burdens on our criminal justice system, schools and social programs. The Immigration and Naturalization Service needs the ability to step up enforcement. Our federal wallet is stretched to the limit by illegal aliens getting welfare, food stamps,medical care and other benefits often without paying any taxes. Safeguards like welfare and free medical care are in place to boost Americans in need of short-term assistance. These programs were not meant to entice freeloaders and scam artists from around the world. Even worse, Americans have seen heinous crimes committed by individuals who are here illegally." [FLASHBACK: Dem Senate Leader Harry Reid: 'Our Federal Wallet Stretched To Limit by Illegal Aliens Getting Welfare', Drudge Report Archives, April 5, 2006] Reid's spokesman explained the shift: “He had a change of heart on this issue brought about by several meetings in the community with immigrants and a conversation with his wife." [Reid flips on illegals, World Net Daily, April 5, 2006] (Reid himself has said he was confronted by his wife, whose father was apparently a Russian immigrant.) This “change of heart,” happened to coincide with Reid's elevation to Democratic Whip in 1999.

So goodbye Harry Reid. We will remember you as you once were, before you became a scandal prone open borders Democratic hack.