With his poll numbers collapsing, Gov. Spitzer will pull the plug today on his controversial plan to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, The Post has learned.
The embattled governor is expected to make the announcement as he meets tomorrow with the state’s heavily Democratic congressional delegation, which as grown increasingly critical of the plan, several sources told The Post.
The decision to wave the white flag was cemented as a Siena Research Institute poll released yesterday showed Spitzer with his lowest approval ratings ever and just 25 percent of voters saying they would support his re-election if the vote were held today.
One source said Spitzer had failed because he “just tried to push [the plan] down everyone’s throats.”
To save face, the governor will say that the federal government has failed to adequately address immigration and that it will take a change in presidential administrations for a meaningful discussion on the issue to occur, one source briefed on Spitzer’s announcement said.
Spitzer himself won’t declare his proposal dead, instead leaving open the possibility that he will revisit it if there is a “more favorable” political climate after the 2008 national elections, sources said.
Spitzer aides wouldn’t comment last night.
During an early morning New York City appearance yesterday, the governor was tight-lipped.
“I understand the most recent polls, that this is an issue that has touched a nerve in the public and we’ll try to address that in a thoughtful modulated way and we’ll see where we go,” he said. “That is a conversation that will continue.”
The freshman governor came under intense fire from Republicans and some Democrats after he first announced in late September that he wanted to give illegal immigrants access to the same driver’s licenses as everyone else.
He claimed it would improve road safety and bolster national security by creating public records of people now living “in the shadows” – but the public and most elected officials, even in his own party, were having
none of it.
Lawsuits were filed to block the measure and county clerks, who run local DMV offices, revolted.
As polls showed that more than 70 percent of New Yorkers opposed the plan, Spitzer suddenly changed course several weeks ago, announcing a plan to offer New Yorkers three different driver’s licenses, includ
ing the two that would be federally recognized and a third that would be available to illegal immigrants.
Even while making the announcement with Spitzer, Homeland Security boss Michael Chertoff made it clear he opposed the idea of giving licenses to illegal aliens.
The new plan – which was to be implemented by mid- to late next year – did nothing to appease critics but managed to
anger supporters of the governor’s original plan, with yesterday’s Siena poll showing that
two-thirds of New Yorkers still
oppose the latest version.
The issue has also become a
hot potato for national Democrats, including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who fumbled with the issue during a recent Democratic presidential debate before giving qualified support for Spitzer’s plan the next day.
She has since been criticized by Democrats and Republican presidential candidates, including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the GOP front-runner.
Rep. Peter King (R-LI) last week said he is drafting legislation prohibiting all states from granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.
Spitzer’s homeland-security director, Michael Balboni, told
The Post last week that serious discussions were taking place
within the administration to determine the fate of the controversial plan.
“After all the things that have
gone on, you’d have to be completely tone deaf not to pay attention,” said Balboni, who could not be reached for comment last night.