White House: Obama wears GOP criticism as ‘a badge of honor’

President Obama wears criticism of his immigration executive action “with a badge of honor,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said on the eve of the announcement of reform plans.

“We’ve heard this kind of rhetoric about lawlessness from House Republicans for some time,” Earnest said Wednesday, describing Obama as “somebody who is willing to examine the law, review the law and use every element of that law to make progress for the American people.”

{mosads}”If that is something that Republicans are critical of, then that’s, you know, maybe a criticism that the president wears with a badge of honor,” Earnest said.

Republican lawmakers have blasted the president ahead of his prime-time Thursday address on immigration action. A spokesman for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said “Emperor Obama” would “cement his legacy of lawlessness and ruin the chances for Congressional action on this issue.”

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) called the proposed order a “slap in the face to the American people and the Constitution” in a letter Wednesday.

Earnest said the White House was sure the yet-to-be-announced executive orders would have “a strong legal foundation.”

“We’re confident that even though Republicans object to it, that these are steps that will be fully implemented and will strengthen the economy, create jobs, strengthen our border security, strengthen our national security and do the other kinds of things that the president believes are in the best interests of the country,” Earnest said.