McCain takes heat for wildfire comments

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

/ CBS

Updated: 3:53 p.m. ET

Sen. John McCain is taking heat from civil rights organizations for comments he made over the weekend implying that illegal immigrants were responsible for the wildfires that have been plaguing Arizona for weeks.

"There is substantial evidence that some of these fires have been caused by people who have crossed our border illegally" - and that "the answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border," McCain said at a press conference in Arizona on Saturday.

Illegal immigrants, McCain alleged, "have set fires because they want to signal others, they have set fires to keep warm, and they have set fires in order to divert law agents and agencies from them."

Angelo Falcon, president of the National Institute for Latino Policy, said McCain's statements were "irresponsible" and that "he's getting as much traction as he can politically" by taking a hard-line approach on immigration.

"Right away he jumped in and started talking about persons coming across the border," Falcon told Hotsheet on Monday, arguing that it was "irresponsible to jump to those conclusions and make those statements before there was any evidence."

Randy Parraz, a civil rights activist who made an unsuccessful bid for McCain's Senate seat in 2010, accused the longtime senator of "fan[ning] the flames of intolerance" in Arizona.

"People are looking for someone to blame," he said, calling McCain's comments "careless and reckless."

"It's easier to fan the flames of intolerance, especially in Arizona," he said, but noted that McCain "should know better" than to make unsupported claims about the state's "most vulnerable populations."

Tom Berglund, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service, told ABC News on Sunday that there was no evidence to support McCain's claims.

"Absolutely not, at this level," Berglund said Sunday. "There's no evidence that I'm aware, no evidence that's been public, indicating such a thing."

He said the Wallow Fire - the most expansive wildfire in Arizona state history - had been traced to an "escaped campfire," but that no suspect had been named despite conversations with two "subjects of interest."

A spokesman for McCain said on Monday that the senator had not been referring to the Wallow Fire, and that his comments reflected fires near the Arizona border.

"For years, federal, state and local officials have stated that smugglers and illegal immigrants have caused fires on our southern border, said McCain communications director Brooke Buchanan. "During the press conference on Saturday, Senator McCain was referring to fires on the Arizona/Mexico border, not the Wallow Fire."

According to Buchanan, McCain, along with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and John Barrasso, R-Wyo., have requested a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding the possible connection between wildfires and illegal immigrants and drug smugglers. The report has not yet been released.

Buchanan, however, pointed to several reports over the past several years indicating that undocumented immigrants may have been involved in some wildfires in the past, although most of the reports also include "ricocheting bullets, campfires, welding equipment" and other factors as among many possible causes.

In a joint statement Monday afternoon, McCain, along with Kyl, Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.,and Paul Gosar R-Ariz., attributed the source of his claim to information from the U.S. Forest Service.

"During our tour of the damaged areas caused by the Wallow Fire on Saturday, we were briefed by senior Forest Service officials, one of whom informed us that some wildfires in Arizona (across our southern border) are regrettably caused by drug smugglers and illegal immigrants," the statement says. "This statement is consistent with what we've been hearing for years, as well as testimony by the Forest Service and media reports dating back as far as 2006."

"While Arizonans continue to face the enormous challenges related to these wildfires, it's unfortunate that some are inserting their political agenda into this tragedy," it continues.

[stn_sage]

I am NOT a McCain supporter, in fact, many times I have criticized him on this site...but,
in this case, with the huge number of illegal aliens that are crossing the southern border into the USA,
statistical laws of probability alone, suggest,
that some of Arizona's fires have inadvertently, ACCIDENTALLY caused by some of these people, for the reasons he cited!
SO, he's being FACTUAL in this instance, those criticizing
him, are in this case, being the ones 'playing the race card'!

[simpleconservative]

McCain's original statement was factually true and only politically correct B.S. made him backpedal. Anyone who lives near the Mexican border can attest to the factual nature of the comments!

[pr_boxer]

McCain shot his mouth off based on a "he said". That doesn't make it factual. When an illegal is caught, tried and convicted of arson, that's "factual".

McCain is simply pandering to the bigots, plain and simple. Just think this little guy was considered for US President.

[Christy_in_Arizona]

I wonder if the next comment out of McCain's spokesperson will be: "That was not intended to be a factual statement." You'd think he'd have learned something from Jon Kyl, his AZ colleague.

[sjc_1]

John is getting more senile every day.

[Bisk1]

DJ, what facts are you talking about ?? The article is about McCain claiming something with no basis in fact but you accuse sjc of not getting their facts staright ??

What do you think bout what McCain said and should he have insinuated this BS especially with the current wildfire ravaging AZ ??

[noloyalisti]

This is the Republicon way. Whatever goes wrong you blame it on undocumented workers or minorities or whatever. This guy is trash Republicon moron, plain and simple. Anyone who tries to win anything with the idiot Palin is a complete loser fool. Who elects these idiot Republicons anyway, they are obsolete and dangerous to America.

[Bisk1]

DJ, a lot of other Americans that fought the Vietnam and Korean wars (true Americans) are going Senile due to Old Age - now that's a fact - which still does not take away from their service. Would you allow John McCain babysit your kids or young grandkids ?? Would you ??

[greenlantern1]

Wouldn't it be prudent to actually arsonists with arson?
We already know that the NRA is making a profit by selling guns to outlaws.
Isn't the marking of the guns, to track them, a neato idea?
Clifford Spencer

[mryoubrian]

OMG<OMG<OMG-
I can't take this anymore! Lord, please deliver me from all of these stupid people!
Just use a little common sense people....PLEASE!!!!!!!

If you are trying to sneak into another country AT NIGHT and you are naturally trying to EVADE LAW ENFORCEMENT including the local police, the sheriff's department, the Arizona state police, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol ,Tobacco and Firearms, and the INS, why on earth would you start a fire? ANSWER- you wouldn't. PERIOD!

If you are in the dead of night and you are trying to smuggle drugs into the USA and evade all law enforcement (Who use dogs, infrared cameras, helicopters, guns, binoculars, CCTV,trackers,stun guns, tear gas,shotguns,airplane surveillance,etc.- why would you start a fire and advertise you position like a billboard in Vegas????!!!!!ANSWER- you wouldn't. PERIOD!

I swear they are putting something in the water that makes people from Arizona lose their common sense and McCain is a perfect example.

[user000049586849302948603]

My understanding is that McCain is now blaming illegal immigrants for the Reichstag fire.

[cigar-smoker]

"they have set fires to keep warm" Sounds reasonable, I've been told it gets pretty chilly during June in Arizona.

[user000049586849302948603]

If that's your lame attempt at sarcasm, you've obviously never been in the desert after the sun goes down.

[cigar-smoker]

@user000049586849302948603

Oh, they were in the desert part of Arizona. I was wondering why there was so much vegetation around to have wild fires. Thanks for clearing that up.

[user000049586849302948603]

What are they going to do when McCain finally completely loses it and starts speaking in tongues or something?

[Lindag10]

Yeah I call him McSenile. Main reason I didn't vote for him last election was because I watched him at the debates and could tell he was starting to lose it and then when he because incapacitated we'd get stuck with Sarah.

[user000049586849302948603]

And Sarah "Casey Anthony" Palin would have probably nuked somebody just because her witch doctor told her to.

[ddog88]

I think he's been probed by aliens and he feels used because they don't call so he's spreading hot rumors about them.