[More in the cross-post on the MRC's NewsBusters blog.]
Carol Costello badgered Rep. Sean Duffy on the 14 January 2015 edition of CNN Newsroom over House Republicans' attempt to defund President Obama's executive action granting amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants: "The Department of Homeland Security protects the United States from terrorist attacks. Some Senate Republicans – among them, Lindsey Graham – say the strategy should be revised in light of what happened in Paris. So at this moment in time, why mess with that department?"
The Wisconsin Republican struck back by using Costello's own advice from an October 2013 segment that he did with the anchor. He also cited CNN's own poll numbers on the President's controversial move:
REP. SEAN DUFFY, (R), MEMBER, HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE: Carol, remember during the shutdown a year and a half ago, you talked about the power of the purse. Don't use funding of the government – you said use the power of the purse in these fights. And per your own prior questions to me, we're using the power of the purse to say, let's defend the homeland – but to think that you're going to come to Congress and say, I didn't include you in this executive amnesty, but I want you to fund it? The President is out to lunch thinking that we're going to do that, and if he wants to hold the security of the U.S. hostage for executive amnesty – which, I would argue, is unconstitutional...he's not on the side of the American people. Your own poll at CNN says that the American people agree with us – that the President should go through the Congress, the duly elected representatives of our states and our districts to get this done the right way.