Politics

Sen. Tim Kaine Doesn’t Want To ‘Waste Taxpayer Money’ On Border Wall ‘Vanity Project’

NBC News

David Krayden Ottawa Bureau Chief
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Despite claiming that his party is prepared to “invest billions in border security,” Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine is unwilling to find $5 billion for a border wall.

The 2016 vice-presidential candidate told “Meet the Press” Sunday that there has never been any doubt about the Democrats “willingness” to promote border security, but that money needs to be “spent the right way.”

Kaine did not cite any evidence for his claim that a border wall would be “ineffective” and would not stem the tide of illegal immigration.

President Donald Trump remains adamant that the government shutdown will continue until the Democratic Party leadership agrees to fund the border wall. Last week, the president took his case for the wall directly to the American people in a televised address that many in the mainstream media attacked as it was being broadcast.

Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine is interviewed on NBC’s Meet the Press, Jan. 13, 2019. NBC News screenshot.

Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine talks border security on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Jan. 13, 2019. NBC News screenshot.

Trump has received support for the wall from some surprising sources, including Obama’s former chief of border security, Mark Morgan, who said it border walls “work.” CNN anchor Chris Cuomo has also defended the structure. (RELATED: Dreamer Supports Border Wall That Keeps Our Country Safe)

When asked whether he believed it was time to begin impeachment proceeding against the president now that the Democrats control the House of Representatives, Kaine told NBC it was more important to “protect the [Robert] Mueller investigation,” and to wait for its findings before deciding to proceed with impeachment.

Kaine suggested there were “nearly 100 documented instances of ties between the Trump campaign transition and administration with Russia.”

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