Posted on 08/01/2007 10:12:01 AM PDT by freespirited
WASHINGTON -- Conservative lawmakers said Tuesday that a U.S. attorney in Texas is engaged in an "alarming pattern" of defending the rights of illegal immigrants over those of U.S. law enforcement officers.
The accusations came during a House hearing that examined the case of Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos, two former Border Patrol agents serving long sentences for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler and trying to cover it up.
The U.S. attorney in question, Johnny Sutton of the Western District of Texas, declined to appear before the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee.
He has previously defended the prosecution of the agents.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., who has championed the agents' cause, suggested that Sutton was afraid to testify under oath.
He also likened Sutton to Michael Nifong, the district attorney in North Carolina who was disbarred for his prosecution of three Duke University athletes on rape charges.
"We cannot let this nightmare go on," Rohrabacher said of the agents' incarceration.
The Department of Justice said earlier in the week that Sutton was not needed at the hearing because it was focused on communication with the Mexican government and Sutton already gave written confirmation to the committee that his office had no contact with Mexican officials.
Richard Skinner, the Department of Homeland Security inspector general, also declined to appear.
Compean and Ramos are serving 12 and 11 years in prison, respectively, for shooting and wounding Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, who had entered the United States illegally in a van with more than 700 pounds of marijuana.
The case has become a cause celebre among conservatives and groups that advocate tougher border controls. Supporters say the agents were wrongly convicted for protecting the United States against a criminal intruder. Many are incensed that Davila was offered immunity to testify against the officers and given visas to enter the United States.
At the hearing, Charles Shapiro, a deputy assistant secretary of state, said that the State Department had no contact from the government of Mexico regarding the case, but that he could not attest to the communications of other agencies.
It was the second congressional panel on the border agents' case. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., held a Senate hearing on the matter earlier in July.
At the previous hearing, Sutton staunchly defended his prosecution.
Yep it says he has the sense enough to avoid kangaroo courts with political agendas.
Sutton’s been all over the airwaves over the past few weeks answering questions. He appeared in front of Cornyn, et al. He hasn’t hidden himself.
It appears that Sutton was the one with a political agenda that was blessed by a kangaroo court.
More likely that he didnt want to be asked about his inconsistent and deceptive statements from last month.
He’s not under oath when he’s on the airwaves.
Conservative lawmakers said Tuesday that a U.S. attorney in Texas is engaged in an “alarming pattern” of defending the rights of illegal immigrants over those of U.S. law enforcement officers.
I guess what surprises me is their surprise! The Hill is as guilty as the President and Johnny Sutton. They ALL want to make illegals more equal than American citizens.
The only kangaroo court is this case was the one that convicted Ramos and Campeon on the distorted, biased evidence used by US Attorney Sutton.
There is more than meets the eye in this case - most probably having to do with tons of cocaine and milliions of drug money!
I'm certain that's one of the points they wanted to question him about under oath.
I don't think there's any oath involved in the written communication.
I'm certain that's one of the points they wanted to question him about under oath.
I don't think there's any oath involved in the written communication.
Amazing how the author forgot to mention the fact that the drug dealer received a get in free card to pass back and forth between the US and Mexico and used it to transport drugs.
Sutton is lucky he hasn’t been lynched by the ever growing mob of Texans who are fed up with his garbage.
ping
“The U.S. attorney in question, Johnny Sutton of the Western District of Texas, declined to appear before the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee.
He has previously defended the prosecution of the agents.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., who has championed the agents’ cause, suggested that Sutton was afraid to testify under oath.
He also likened Sutton to Michael Nifong, the district attorney in North Carolina who was disbarred for his prosecution of three Duke University athletes on rape charges.”
They are on the run, folks!
“Amazing how the author forgot to mention the fact that the drug dealer received a get in free card to pass back and forth between the US and Mexico and used it to transport drugs”
If the jury knew this, there would have been no conviction!
Bump
Damn those conservative lawmakers with their political agendas.
Dead fish usually rot from the head down. "You're doing a heck of a job Brownie!"
Bingo.
Traitor Sutton has finally figured out that his media “charm offensive” backfired badly.
But I think he’s just a WH puppet anyway. He’ll do Arbusto’s bidding to the letter.
For some inexplicable reason, he wasn’t under oath when he appeared before the Senate.
“Traitor Sutton has finally figured out that his media “charm offensive” backfired badly.
But I think he’s just a WH puppet anyway. He’ll do Arbusto’s bidding to the letter.”
WH puppet is right!
Traitor Sutton took a demotion to be Arbusto’s man on the border. Now THAT’S loyalty!
“Traitor Sutton took a demotion to be Arbusto’s man on the border. Now THAT’S loyalty!:
Sure is........and I don’t think Bush would sell him out, so Ramos, Compean....et al get no pardon.
Traitor Sutton had better hope the SPP/NAU plan goes through.
Otherwise, he’ll go down in history as a new Benedict Arnold.
A fitting tribute to a quintessential rat!
Wonder if he made it a condition of showing up?
Ramos and Campeon had the misfortune to stumble upon a drug runner who operates with the blessings of our own government. This scandal is as big and as deep as the drug operation under Clinton that took place at the Mena Airport. I wonder how many more protected drug runners there are out there? Only difference is, Bush’s runners don’t fly it in, they drive it in, and God help any Border Patrol Agents who tries to stop them. This was done to send a message to other conscientious agents. Catch one, and YOU’LL go to jail!!! Sutton and Gonzales will see to that!
“Sutton is another Mike Nifong”
Blood brothers.
Incredibly how blatantly Sutton framed the BP agents as if he knew the would be protected or he received a really huge payoff.
Like shamnesty, the D C beltway inbreds didn’t see how profoundly pissed off the public would become.
This is Clinton type weasel word evasion. Sutton wants to avoid the obvious follow up question: "Do you know of ANYONE who had contact with Anyone in Mexico regarding this case?"
Exactly.
Sutton the scumbag is a relatively young man. The Arbusto junta has about 18 months remaining in office.
What will Sutton do for a living after the Arbusto junta is only an unpleasant memory? A lot of people are going to remember him, and not fondly.
A dollar to a donut that after the ‘09 inauguration nobody in the Mexican hierarchy will remember his name when it comes to representing their interests north of the Rio Grande.
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