A Gang of Secrecy doesn't favor Rubio (UPDATE)

First it's reported that the Gang of Eight will oppose any amendments to their immigration bill...

Breitbart: All the members of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” pushing immigration reform in the U.S. Senate will band together to block any efforts by other senators to offer amendments to their legislation once it is introduced, the Washington Post reported on Sunday.

“A bipartisan Senate group on immigration legislation is attempting to craft an agreement so secure that the eight members will oppose amendments to its core provisions, an arrangement that could delay the introduction of a bill, people familiar with the negotiations said,” the Post’s David Nakamura wrote.

In response to Nakamura’s article on Monday, Gang of Eight member Sen. Marco Rubio’s spokesman Alex Conant told Breitbart News that his description of the process being worked on is not correct. “The legislation that the eight senators are working on is only the start of the process; we expect several committee hearings, a full debate, and an open process for other senators to offer amendments,” Conant said. “It’s premature to speculate about what sort of amendments might be offered, but if another senator offers an amendment that improves the legislation consistent with the principles Senator Rubio has outlined, then I would expect members of the group of eight to support it.”

But Rubio’s words are unlikely to do much to assuage the concerns of conservative Republicans in Congress, especially as fellow Gang of Eight member New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Sen. Pat Leahy, and other Democrats appear poised to rush whatever bill the bipartisan group comes up with through as fast as they can once the legislative text is presented.

Then we hear that the Gang's Republican members rejected Senate conservatives' requests for an immigration proposal briefing. Open process, Sen. Rubio?

Breitbart: The Republican members of the bipartisan Senate “Gang of Eight” have passed the deadline for Senate Judiciary Committee ranking GOP member Sen. Chuck Grassley’s request for a briefing on their coming immigration reform bill.

Last week, Grassley (R-IA) and his conservative committee colleagues Sens. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Mike Lee (R-UT) wrote to “Gang of Eight” senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), John McCain (R-AZ), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), asking them to champion a transparent immigration reform process complete with thorough hearings examining each facet of any legislation those “Gang” Republicans and their Democratic counterparts develop.

“Because the president has failed to lead on this matter, your group has secretly met for months and not consulted with members of this Committee about major changes to our nation’s immigration laws,” Grassley and his colleagues wrote. “The time for transparency has come. Given the Majority’s rushed timetable, we believe it is time for you to discuss the status of your negotiations, disclose what concessions have been made, and provide details to members of the Judiciary Committee as well as the entire Republican Caucus.”

Despite this request from Grassley and his colleagues, an aide for one of the offices who signed the letter confirmed for Breitbart News that the Gang of Eight Republicans ignored the deadline.

Rubio had responded to Grassley’s and his colleagues’ original letter by saying he agreed with their concerns about process. In his response, Rubio did not mention Grassley’s request for a briefing of Senate Judiciary Committee GOP staff by the close of business on Monday.

“I believe strongly that all other 92 senators should be given ample time not just to review the legislation, but to offer ways to improve it,” Rubio said instead. “Earlier this week, I requested and received permission to brief the entire Republican conference during our policy lunch next week. I look forward to briefing you at that meeting.

So, how are all 92 other senators going to receive ample review time when we all know good and well that as soon as the plan is unveiled on Thursday, the Democrats from the Gang, as well as most others, will attempt to ram this through? And if the chances of them seeing this entire proposal in a timely manner are in question, what's that say about the American citizenry's voice in this matter? Will we be heard as much as Congress listened to us when ramming through Obamacare, Dodd/Frank, stimulus, etc.?

This Gang of Eight sounds like a Gang of Secrecy. Senator Rubio, the optics aren't in your favor when either Schumer or McCain are posed over your shoulder, smiling. Please don't be duped by these professional politicians whose only motivation comes down to votes...because any new ones gained from this will certainly be Democratic.

UPDATE: DeMint doesn't think this Gang of Eight deal is doing Rubio any favors either (via the Laura Ingraham Show)...

MofoPolitics: Jim DeMint guarantees that CIR legislation is being written by Democrat staffers, and will not reflect the promises made among the Gang of Eight...

“Republicans get pulled across the table into the laps of Democrats by all these false promises…the only thing they want is citizens, voters and union members…”