Exclusive--Levin: McConnell 'Orchestrating' Immigration Bill 'from the Shadows'

Nationally-syndicated conservative radio host Mark Levin, one of the signers of the Tea Party coalition letter calling on lawmakers to prevent the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill from reaching the Senate floor, told Breitbart News Mitch McConnell is the one pulling the strings behind the bill.

“It is obvious McConnell has been orchestrating this from the shadows,” Levin said in an email. “From encouraging Marco Rubio to join this silly ‘Gang’ to smoothing the way for a vote for this monstrous bill, McConnell’s pushing it. Make no mistake, the ruling class wants to ram this down our throats, and that includes the GOP so-called leaders.”

On Tuesday, McConnell said he would not block the bill from reaching the Senate floor. McConnell also praised the Gang of Eight.

“With regard to getting started on the bill, it’s my intention — if there is a motion to proceed required — to vote for the motion to proceed so we can get on the bill and see if it we’re able to pass a bill that actually moves the ball in the right direction,” McConnell said.

“The Gang of Eight has made a substantial contribution to moving the issue forward,” McConnell added. “So far, I’m told that the Judiciary Committee has not in any fundamental way undone the agreement reached by the eight senators so I’m hopeful we’ll be able to get a bill we can pass here in the Senate.”

What McConnell said he will do is the opposite of what Tea Partiers who signed that letter, like Levin are calling on lawmakers to do. “We urge you to vote against it and against any cloture vote to bring up the bill,” the Tea Party coalition wrote. “Only then can a constructive, measured debate take place on how to improve America’s immigration policy.”

In his email to Breitbart News, Levin also compared this bill to big government hallmarks of the past few years in Washington.

“Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, bailouts, tax increases, debt ceiling increases, amnesty, and on and on,” Levin said. “Republicans either refuse to take effective steps to stop this collective disaster or flat out support it. They obviously like big government despite their protestations. It is infuriating.”