English First Is Opposing Mel Martinez as GOP Chairman

A group that wants to establish English as the official language of the United States is urging members of the Republican National Committee to reject U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida as chairman.

The Cuban-born Martinez was tapped as general chairman last month by President Bush, but his appointment touched off complaints from a conservative base that opposes Martinez’s embrace of immigration reform.

His appointment must be confirmed by the RNC at its meeting in January, and English First, a Virginia-based group, has established a website — wwww.stopmartinez.com — to register a litany of complaints about his selection.

“Sen. Martinez is wrong on official English and wrong on amnesty for illegal aliens,” said Jim Boulet Jr., executive director of English First. “Asking Sen. Martinez to run the Republican Party is like asking Mrs. Phyllis Schlafly to run Planned Parenthood.

“Should Martinez win the RNC post, reporters will encourage him to do nothing but argue with his fellow Republicans about immigration and language issues,” Boulet said.

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