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EXCLUSIVE: ICE Whistleblower May Depose Harry Reid
The Daily Caller ^ | 3-22-2016 | Evan Gahr

Posted on 03/20/2016 10:59:45 AM PDT by smoothsailing

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid could be deposed for ICE whistleblower Taylor Johnson’s new lawsuit because complaints from his office precipitated her ouster.

Johnson’s attorney, Morris Fischer, told the Washington Gadfly that, “We will attempt to depose whoever is involved in this corruption up to and including Harry Reid. His fingerprints are all over the place.”

The veteran law enforcement agent, who DHS fired in February after she rejected $100,000 in hush money, filed a Merit System Protection Board claim against the agency earlier this month.

Johnson, a single mother of four, had a storied career until she ran afoul of Reid by expressing national security concerns about the EB-5 visa program for foreigners who invest at least $500,000 in American companies. One of the green cards she refused to approve was for a Chinese investor in the Las Vegas casino represented by Reid’s lawyer son, Rory.

After Reid’s office called her Special Agent-in-Charge Johnson was stripped of her gun and badge without explanation in 2013. Her frantic boss demanded to know why he was suddenly being threatened with congressional action.

Johnson’s complaints and objections from other whistleblowers were subsequently vindicated.

The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General concluded in a March 2015 report that then-U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) director Alejandro Mayorkas improperly intervened on behalf of Reid for the Las Vegas SLS Hotel and Casino then represented by his son. Mayorkas, now DHS Deputy Secretary, also lobbied for companies tied to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Rodham, and former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell.

In June 2015, Johnson testified in a nationally televised hearing about her troubles with the agency and concerns about the program. Although DHS spokesman officially told the media they could not comment about her particular case, it turned out the ICE spokeswoman Gillian Christensen was running a secret smear campaign against her with the full knowledge of Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. The attempt to discredit Johnson is now under investigation by the Senate Homeland Security Committee and the DHS Office of Inspector General, which both have interviewed this reporter about his encounter with Christensen.

Johnson’s actual MSPB complaint is confidential. But Fischer explained the legal issues at play based on information already in the public realm.

ICE gave shifting and obvious bogus rationales for why they needed to cut her loose, he explained. First, they claimed she made hundreds of improper calls to a confidential informant.

Except it turned out the calls were actually to Johnson’s mother. Then, they said she forged a document that said ICE dogs in 2011 had not detected drugs in a car crossing the Mexican border that it was later determined contained them.

They made her take a handwriting test. But it concluded she did not fill out the form.

Johnson, who set up a gofundme.com page for legal costs, was finally dismissed for lack of candor. The actual contents of her Merit System Protection Board lawsuit are confidential.

DHS needs to prove she was not fired for testifying before Congress and would have been dismissed regardless of her objections to the visa program.

Good luck with that.

ICE never objected to Taylor’s conduct regarding the 2011 border operation until after Reid’s office complained about her.

“There shouldn’t be surprises regarding Taylor’s retaliation,” said Fischer, who has garnered lucrative settlements and jury verdicts for other clients harmed by DHS. “This case will not be won through a lot of dazzling and unexpected litigation maneuvering.”

“This is blatant retaliation and we don’t know what the full extent of the Senate Committee’s investigation and our litigation will produce. There may be one gazillion surprises with respect to how corrupt the whole thing was.”


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: Nevada; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: 2011; 2013; 201506; 201602; andrewmccabe; bribery; casino; china; christesen; congress; customs; dhs; edrendell; gillianchristensen; harryreid; ice; immigration; lasvegas; mayorkas; mcauliffe; mccabe; payoffs; reid; rendell; retaliation; rory; roryreid; slscasino; slshotel; smears; taylorjohnson; terrymcauliffe; tonyrodham; trump; uscis; uscustoms; visas; whistleblowers
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To: DaxtonBrown

Do you think Harry directly took a bribe in this case or are his owners (the Vegas mob) pulling the strings.


21 posted on 03/20/2016 11:56:52 AM PDT by Neidermeyer (Bill Clinton is a 5 star general in the WAR ON WOMEN and Hillary is his Goebbels.)
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To: smoothsailing
hey Dingey, how's that fake, libelous lawsuit going???
22 posted on 03/20/2016 12:00:32 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -w- NO Pity for the LAZY - Luke, 22:36)
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To: DaxtonBrown

You can probably reach her thru Sen. Ron Johnson’s office...

http://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/home


23 posted on 03/20/2016 12:01:59 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: smoothsailing

Interesting


24 posted on 03/20/2016 12:06:15 PM PDT by COUNTrecount (Race Baiting...... "It's What's For Breakfast")
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To: smoothsailing

I doubt Reid will be required to testify. As a senior sitting member of the Senate and a very high ranking Democrat, he is pretty much above the law.
I see an out of court settlement with Taylor Johnson’s service record expunged of any and everything derogatory that was ever put in there. Add in full retirement and probably a few other perks thrown in. Like maybe lifetime appointment to, I don’t know, maybe a federal court bailiff with extras.


25 posted on 03/20/2016 12:16:37 PM PDT by Tupelo (Honest men go to Washington, but honest men do not stay in Washington.)
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To: Tupelo

They’ve already tried to buy her silence, it didn’t work. Upping the ante might not change that. She seems determined to expose the truth.


26 posted on 03/20/2016 12:22:55 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: smoothsailing

I wish there was some repurcussions for Reid. His behavior seems criminal.


27 posted on 03/20/2016 1:17:32 PM PDT by Scutter
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To: smoothsailing

I hope Reid gets what’s coming to him.


28 posted on 03/20/2016 2:15:08 PM PDT by Bigg Red (Keep calm and Pray on.)
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29 posted on 03/20/2016 2:24:01 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Facing Trump nomination inevitability, folks are now openly trying to help Hillary destroy him.)
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To: immadashell

“Harry needs to take another long walk on his treadmill.”

Or his brother need to hop off the wagon and pound out the other eye of his pathetic sibling.


30 posted on 03/20/2016 2:34:09 PM PDT by RS_Rider (I hate Illinois Nazis)
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To: Bigg Red

I remember several years ago when Reid showed up looking like he had been on the losing end of a decent fistocuffs.

Who helped him overcome his trip in the shower?


31 posted on 03/20/2016 2:35:20 PM PDT by Cvengr ( Adversity in life & death is inevitable; Stress is optional through faith in Christ.)
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To: smoothsailing; All

Harry used to be an immigration hawk, before the casino’s bought him off.

Harry Reid and Donald Trump agree on illegal immigration

Of course, today Harry Reid condemns Donald Trump’s position on illegal immigration. But not so long ago, Harry was an immigration hawk:

Reid authored the Immigration Stabilization Act of 1993 to remove asylum seekers, end birthright citizenship, expand deportations, and exclude legal immigrants from public assistance. The bill also included amendments that closed loopholes dealing with criminal aliens and mandated more cooperation between local and federal law enforcement, the Conservative Review reported on Tuesday.

“Our borders have overflowed with illegal immigrants placing tremendous burdens on our criminal justice system, schools and social programs. The Immigration and Naturalization Service needs the ability to step up enforcement,” Reid said in a statement.

“Our federal wallet is stretched to the limit by illegal aliens getting welfare, food stamps, medical care and other benefits often without paying any taxes,” Reid continued. “Safeguards like welfare and free medical care are in place to boost Americans in need of short-term assistance. These programs were not meant to entice freeloaders and scam artists from around the world.”

Apparently 1993 marks the date when Mr. Reid allegedly held the interests of American citizens to the forefront recognizing the drain unchecked and illegal immigration has on the nation’s budget, health and resources.

Now, not so much.

Had a Republican said all of what Mr. Reid said back then, he’d be branded a “racist”.

Oh, wait …
http://hotair.com/archives/2015/07/10/harry-reid-and-donald-trump-agree-on-illegal-immigration/


32 posted on 03/20/2016 3:55:11 PM PDT by AuntB (Trump right on Trade, Immigration, Terrorism,Economy, 2nd amend. Without them, we are lost.)
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To: AuntB

Thanks AuntB! 8^)


33 posted on 03/20/2016 4:10:22 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: Neidermeyer

It wasn’t Harry but his son Rory taking the bribe, but same thing. As best I can tell Harry sort of is the mob, but it is all very murky. I have him on about 20 cases of bribes/extortion.


34 posted on 03/20/2016 5:00:46 PM PDT by DaxtonBrown (wrote Harry Reid.s only biography www.futurnamics.com/reid.php)
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To: smoothsailing

Thanks. I will be up early tomorrow calling.

This may be what is needed to break other cases. One domino sets them all off.


35 posted on 03/20/2016 5:02:46 PM PDT by DaxtonBrown (wrote Harry Reid.s only biography www.futurnamics.com/reid.php)
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To: DaxtonBrown

be careful.


36 posted on 03/20/2016 7:20:02 PM PDT by Neidermeyer (Bill Clinton is a 5 star general in the WAR ON WOMEN and Hillary is his Goebbels.)
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To: Chad N. Freud

Tony Rodham according to another article


37 posted on 03/20/2016 7:43:17 PM PDT by piasa
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To: Chad N. Freud
It’s not clear what the author means by “Rodham” here.

I caught that too. Some Hillary relative? Herself?

It's pretty obvious she does pay to play...

38 posted on 03/20/2016 8:03:44 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
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To: Daffynition
Generally, it provides an extra layer of review when the government tries to fire a veteran. There are supposedly very limited circumstances when non-veteran employees can get an MSPB review of disciplinary action. In the USPS it was a factor in whether HR would support firing someone.
39 posted on 03/21/2016 11:41:34 AM PDT by Kay Ludlow (Government actions ALWAYS have unintended consequences...)
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