Republican Congressman Steve King says one of President Obama relatives has gotten preferential treatment from law enforcement and King wants a congressional investigation.
“President Obama’s Uncle, Uncle Omar, has been picked up for drunken driving with almost twice the blood alcohol level that is allowable by law in Massachusetts,” King says. “It’ll be the third time that he’s been interdicted with regard to being an illegal immigrant. He’s twice before been adjudicated for deportation. This time Immigrations and Customs Enforcement just released him, after they had him in custody, as if he’s not going to be a danger to our society.”
Obama’s uncle is in the U.S. illegally and the White House press secretary said in early September that the president expects the case to be handled “like any other immigration case.” King wants to pressure Omar to speak publicly about his case.
“I want to subpoena drunken Uncle Omar to come into the House Judiciary Committee, along with his attorney, who’s the same attorney that President Obama’s Aunt Zeituni had that got her asylum,” King says.
Obama’s aunt came to the U.S. in 2000 on a valid visa and applied for asylum in 2002. In 2010, an immigration judge in Boston granted it. She could become a citizen in 2014. King wants a congressional investigation to see if Obama’s aunt and uncle are getting “favorite treatment” at the direction of the White House.
“We must enforce our immigration laws and we must enforce those immigration laws equally across all society,” King says. “Justice has got to be blind. It can’t play favorites and I want to have hearings in the House Judiciary Committee over drunken Uncle Omar.”
King made his comments in a video statement released by his office, and King used the phrase “drunken Uncle Omar” three times in 80 seconds.
The chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party says King seems more focused on “persecuting distant relatives” of the president than on creating jobs. Iowa Democratic Party chair Sue Dvorsky says King is engaged in “political theater” and “wild speculation”.