Criticism of Trump’s Pro-Amnesty DHS Nominee is ‘Sexist Garbage’ Says Washington Examiner Op-Ed

Critiques of President Donald Trump’s female nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security are powered by sexism, an op-ed for the Washington Examiner claims, even though nominee Kirstjen Nielsen supports amnesty for illegal aliens and has downplayed a border wall.

Pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson wrote in the op-ed piece says “sexist garbage” has been slung at Nielsen during her confirmation process through the U.S. Senate, specifically going after conservative author and columnist Ann Coulter’s criticisms of Trump’s nominee.

She’s been attacked for being: demanding, attractive, young. Men rarely are. https://t.co/IR3I4YIIWb

— Kristen Soltis Anderson (@KSoltisAnderson) November 22, 2017

Anderson writes:

But if you’re the sort of person who believes we as a society have achieved gender equality and women pursuing prominent roles are treated fairly, boy, have I got news for you. If a woman rising in power is too tough or aggressive, she’s attacked for it. If she’s attractive, she’s accused of having used that to her advantage. And even in a woman is beyond qualified for a role, there will always be those who raise doubts about if she’s really qualified. In Nielsen’s case, she’s been on the receiving end of all of those and more.

Let’s start with the most egregious offense, coming from perhaps the least surprising source: Ann Coulter. “I don’t like conspiracy theories on attractive women using sex for promotions, but other than being very pretty, Trump’s DHS nominee Kirstjen Nielsen is Chuck Schumer.” Coulter has made torpedoing Nielsen’s nomination a priority over immigration, due in part to measured answers given by Nielsen over issues such as the border wall and Deferred Action for Child Arrivals, affecting those known as the “Dreamers.” If Coulter wants a wall “from sea to shining sea” and wants the Dreamers deported, she has a right to that position. Pushing the idea that a woman with whom she disagrees must be trading sex for power? Despicable, though hardly a shock from someone like Coulter.

Anderson’s attack on Coulter only focused on one tweet in which the columnist compared Nielsen to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), failing to mention the broader issue that pro-American immigration reformers have with her nomination.

In a string of tweets and interviews, as Breitbart News reported, Coulter slammed Nielsen’s nomination — not because she is a woman — but because of the former President George W. Bush official’s support for amnesty for illegal aliens and her downplaying of the importance of a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security is an open borders zealot,” Coulter told radio host Mark Simone in an interview this month. “Is against the wall… this Kirstjen Nielsen her name is.”

“This is the head of Homeland Security and she’s against, let’s see, oh yeah homeland security,” Coulter continued.

WHAT ON EARTH? @realDonaldTrump‘s DHS nominee, Kirstjen Nielsen, supports amnesty and opposes the wall. Her hearing is today.

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) November 8, 2017

I don’t like conspiracy theories on attractive women using sex for promotions, but other than being very pretty, Trump’s DHS nominee Kirstjen Nielsen is Chuck Schumer.

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) November 8, 2017

To celebrate the anniversary of Nov 8, @realDonaldTrump nominates amnesty-supporting Kirstjen Nielsen to DHS. 2d year is cotton. 1st yr is Betray your Supporters

— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) November 8, 2017

Coulter told Breitbart News that the latest attempt to attack critics of Nielsen’s is reminiscent of former First Lady Laura Bush’s blaming sexism for criticisms of then Supreme Court-nominee Harriet Miers.

“That’s what Laura Bush accused us of when we complained about Harriet Miers,” Coulter told Breitbart News. “The ‘You’re just saying that because she’s a woman!’ argument has an impressive provenance.”

At the time, Coulter had blasted Miers’ nomination, writing that she “isn’t qualified to play a Supreme Court justice on ‘The West Wing.’”

Anderson’s op-ed only mentions Nielsen’s pro-open borders views in two sentences, despite her positions on immigration leading the drive against her confirmation among conservatives and pro-American immigration reformers.

Nielsen’s anti-America First immigration positions include:

• Saying Americans “owe” amnesty to illegal aliens
• Gearing up to work with Congress on passing an amnesty for illegal aliens
• Downplaying the importance of a border wall along the southern border
• Confirming that she will “look into” reopening a President Obama-created temporary amnesty program
• Telling immigration agents to only focus on deporting criminal illegal aliens
• Ignoring Trump’s immigration principles
• Promoting a policy that would deter illegal immigration to the U.S. by quasi-nation-building Central America
• Authoring report that advocated for third world mass immigration into Europe

Rosemary Jenks of NumbersUSA, a group that advocates for immigration in the national interest, has repeatedly blasted Nielsen to Breitbart News for not only her pro-amnesty views but also for having no experience when it comes to immigration.

“There was virtually no one in the Bush admin that was good on immigration,” Jenks said. “If the Trump administration is serious about driving an immigration agenda, I don’t see how it happens with someone at the head of DHS who doesn’t know anything about immigration policy.”

“The last thing we need at DHS is a Bush Republican,” Jenks said. “We elected Trump. We did not elect a Bush. We specifically rejected the Bush dynasty. We don’t need a Bush Republican at DHS.”

Though willing to give Nielsen a chance, Center for Immigration Studies Director Mark Krikorian has voiced concern over Nielsen’s past with the lax-on-immigration Bush administration.

“The fact that she has all of these Bush ties is a reason for concern,” Krikorian told Breitbart News last month.