Hayworth Says Bush Insulted Minutemen

WASHINGTON — Rep. J.D. Hayworth on Wednesday accused President Bush and others of having “maligned” the Minuteman Project, the civilian patrol group that placed volunteers along a 23-mile stretch of the Arizona-Mexico border this month to monitor immigrant activity.

And another Republican lawmaker, Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, called on Bush to “meet with the people he calls vigilantes,” and “issue an apology to these folks for what he’s called (them).”

Both lawmakers, members of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, made their remarks during a news conference at the Capitol attended by Minuteman organizers and dozens of supporters, an event that nearly took on the fervor of a religious revival.

Another Arizona member of the caucus, Republican Rep. Trent Franks, also praised the Minutemen who are based in southeastern Arizona, though he did not criticize the president. White House spokesman Taylor Gross said Wednesday that no apology will be coming from the White House.

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