Tough on Employers or Political Payback?

The Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate stopped in Springfield today to accuse Senator Jim Talent of amnesty for *employers.*

McCaskill said that while Talent has talked tough on illegal immigration, he has ignored the root of the problem -- cracking down on the big companies that provide them jobs.

"Since Senator Talent has went to Congress, enforcement has dropped 99% in this country against the companies that are creating the problem by providing a haven for illegal immigrants to get jobs in this country," McCaskill said in front of the federal courthouse in downtown Springfield.

McCaskill said it's no coincidence that enforcement against companies significantly drops in election years. She referenced a chart from the Center for Immigration Studies Employer Database, noting only 3 employers were fined for hiring illegal immigrants in 2004.

"You enforce the law against employers, they will stop hiring illegal immigrants," McCaskill said.

McCaskill said she supports stiffer penalties for employers who violate the law and more resources for prosecutors to bring them to justice. She proposed a $10,000 fine per illegal immigrant hired on the first offense, with more penalties as the violations mount.

"You start doing some high profile prosecutions against companies in the U.S.A. You're going to stop this," McCaskill said.

She said the 5 largest agricultural companies in the country recently named Senator Talent their number one Senator. She said that's because he won't stand up for stronger penalties for those that give him thousands of dollars in campaign contributions.

Talent's campaign spokesman, Rich Chrismer told me that McCaskill is a hypocrite. The reason McCaskill is coming out so hard against employers? Chrismer says she just recently tried to solicit campaign money from Tyson, (one of the companies she referenced today), and they turned her down.

"She's engaging in political hypocrisy," Chrismer said. "She's attacking the same people she asked for campaign contributions from."

Chrismer seems to be saying that if Tyson and other companies agreed to donate to McCaskill's campaign, we wouldn't be hearing this call for a crackdown.

Spokesmen for Tyson and Premium Standard Farm companies couldn't immediately be reached for comment. But you can bet I'll keep trying.