(VIDEO) New Efforts at Voter Suppression Aimed at Latinos

A conservative advocate and political consultant with ties to Dick Armey, George Bush, and big business has produced a television ad that encourages Latinos in Nevada not to vote.

Talking Points Memo reports on the man behind a new Spanish-language ad encouraging Nevada Latinos not to vote.

Robert de Posada is a “veteran of Republican politics and now an advocate for what most would consider conservative, business-friendly immigration policy.”

De Posada has a long history of affiliations with conservative groups. 

He served as co-director with Dick Armey on Americans for Border and Economic Security, on George W. Bush’s Social Security Commission, and as director of Hispanic affairs at the Republican National Committee until becoming disgruntled with the GOP and settling into conservative advocacy.

He told TPM that while “he’s become equally disgruntled with both parties, his current goal… is to punish Democrats for failing to deliver on a promise to pass comprehensive immigration reform.”

Curiously, his goals for immigration reform look nothing like the goals identified by the majority of groups representing the interests of Latino voters, nor of comprehensive immigration reform as proposed by the Democrats.

[I]t’s hard to imagine the immigration reforms de Podesta supports winning over a lot of Democrats: heightened border security, and drug enforcement; employee verification; and a temporary worker program. “No amnesty,” he said, adding that employers — he cited Meg Whitman — ought to get a pass until an effective verification system is put into place.

The ad in English can be seen here:

And in Spanish here:

In 1994, according to de Posada, he helped create the Hispanic Business Roundtable, which later became the Latino Coalition, where he was president until 2007.

According to TPM, the Latinos for Reform website lists its address as a P.O. Box operated by Susan Arceneaux, who was a big player in the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth operation. De Posada says that’s a mistake from some years back.

Clearly he’s been so busy figuring out ways to dissuade Latinos from voting he forgot to forward his mail.