In Sunday’s Politico Playbook, Mike Allen previews Ryan Lizza’s forthcoming New Yorker piece about the Gang of 8. The story includes a quote attributed to “a Rubio aide” about American workers not being “star performers.”
Reached via email on this Father’s Day, Rubio spokesman Alex Conant pushed back: “We strongly objected to the magazine including that background quote in the piece because it’s not what Sen. Rubio believes or has ever argued.”
“In truth, Sen. Rubio has always said the reason we need a robust temporary worker program is to create legal avenues for US businesses to meet labor needs when not enough Americans apply for jobs,” he continued. “This is a persistent issue in many industries, like agriculture, and has been a draw for illegal immigration in the past.”
“The legislation that Sen. Rubio agreed to sponsor creates a robust temporary worker program to meet our economic needs while protecting American workers and wages. Sen. Rubio believes that American workers can compete against anyone in the world.”
It should be noted that Rubio declined to be interviewed for Lizza’s article. Additionally, Conant’s comments are, in fact, consistent with Rubio’s past rhetoric.