BUSH/ASHCROFT REWARDED MIAMI INS DIRECTOR WITH PROMOTION TO REGIONAL DIRECTOR POSITION

Judicial Watch ^ | April 11, 2002

[FreedominJesusChrist]

For Immediate Release

Apr 11, 2002

Press Office: 202-646-5172

BUSH/ASHCROFT REWARDED MIAMI INS DIRECTOR WITH PROMOTION TO REGIONAL DIRECTOR POSITION

Robert Wallis Admits “Proudest Moment of His Life” Was When INS Agent Held Shotgun To Peaceful Protester’s Head During Illegal Raid On Elian Gonzalez’s Family Home In Miami’s “Little Havana”

(Miami) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government corruption and abuse, took the sworn testimony of Robert Wallis today, wherein the former Miami INS director revealed that he was selected for promotion to Regional INS Director and transferred to Texas in April 2001, under the Bush Administration and Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Wallis admitted, under examination by Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman, that the “proudest moment of his life” was captured in an Associated Press photograph of INS Supervisory Special Agent Gwenn Reed holding a shotgun to the head of a prone and “spread-eagle” protestor – Mario Miranda – during the illegal INS raid to return young Elian Gonzalez to Communist Cuba. Mr. Miranda is a retired Miami police officer and was responsible for safety and security around the Gonzalez home. Wallis’ testimony came during a Merit Systems Protection Board hearing for INS whistleblower and Judicial Watch client Rick Ramirez. Mr. Ramirez “blew the whistle” on anti-Cuban and anti-Hispanic bigotry in the Miami INS office, as well as INS supervisors’ orders to destroy all documents and computer records concerning the Elian Gonzalez saga. Earlier testimony from INS attorney Diana Alvarez confirmed that the orders to destroy documents and records came from INS Commissioner Doris Meissner.

Wallis confirmed that he was aware of Mr. Ramirez’s whistleblower disclosures, and of the pervasive anti-Cuban and anti-Hispanic bigotry in the Miami INS office.

Judicial Watch, as counsel for Special Agent Ramirez, has made repeated requests for over one year to Attorney General Ashcroft, asking that he take action in this matter.

“It is shocking that rather than take steps to clean out the Miami office of anti-Cuban and Hispanic prejudice, that instead Ashcroft and his Bush administration rewarded, with a promotion, the district director responsible for the prejudice. This shows insensitivity to the rights of Hispanics,” stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Ping to true conservatism and keeping government accountable to the people!

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Ping!

[TLBSHOW]

Help me! Do I read this correct. Bush promoted an INS guy who really loved grabbing the boy and helped in sending him to a commie country. Or am I reading it wrong.

[TLBSHOW]

ping

[Fred Mertz]

I wish I knew "mustache man's" name. I'm sure he has gotten promoted too.

[nunya bidness]

Thanks. Interesting.

[Fred Mertz]

You read it wrong.

This guy only jackbooted a newsman outside the residence.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Yeah, emphasis on only. Apparently, this man did not see anything wrong with the INS's illegal search and seizure of the Gonzalez home. The 4th Amendment means nothing to these birds, nor does the 1st Amendment apparently either.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Dude...I'm pissed at this promotion.

But, do you really and truly believe that Bush personally promotes, or even reviews, promotions and transfers of every single low-level bureaucrat in every government agency?

This is the kind of crap that makes Larry look loke an idiot to thinking people.

Pure "National Enquirer" journalism by JW, they have something solid going on, and they still can't keep themselves from looking like idiots.

[Fred Mertz]

Wallis admitted, under examination by Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman, that the “proudest moment of his life” was captured in an Associated Press photograph of INS Supervisory Special Agent Gwenn Reed holding a shotgun to the head of a prone and “spread-eagle” protestor – Mario Miranda – during the illegal INS raid to return young Elian Gonzalez to Communist Cuba.

Oops. This is the deed of the Bush-bot.

[MJY1288]

I'm sure it wasn't Bush or Ashcroft who promoted this guy. I don't even think Ashcroft had been sworn in by April, and it was probably Clinton leftovers who promoted him before Ashcroft took over the DOJ

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Well, okay, you do have a point there. But you may have been a little too harsh in your critique of their newest press release. Government abuse is government abuse, and either way, I am not happy with the Gonzalez' civil rights being trampled on by our government. JW is probably trying to keep people focused on this issue for future action.

[Intolerant in NJ]

...former Miami INS director revealed that he was selected for promotion to Regional INS Director......no big surprise - sop for government work - the biggest foulups get kicked upstairs to get them away from the mess they've created - read "Why the Worst Get to the Top" in Hayek's Road to Serfdom.....

[FreedominJesusChrist]

I haven't read that book yet, but several people have told me to. Did you enjoy it?

[ThePythonicCow]

That's the way I read it to. Odd.

From the BBC News site, Friday April 7, 2000, snipped from an article entitled Cubans threaten Miami disruption:

Reno meeting

He is to meet Attorney General Janet Reno on Friday. There are reports that she will try to persuade him to travel to Florida if necessary to persuade the relatives there to hand Elian over to his father.




The US authorities want Elian returned to his father

The government intends that father and son should remain together in Washington pending the final outcome of the case.

But a leader of the Cuban exile community in Miami, Ramon Saul Sanchez, said Mr Gonzales should talk directly to the relatives in Florida and decide with them what was best for Elian's future.

Robert Wallis, Miami director of the INS, said his department had gone to "extraordinary lengths" to resolve the dispute during negotiations with the relatives.

"We still hope for an orderly process for reuniting Elian with his father," Mr Wallis said.

"The opportunity to ensure this orderly process rests squarely with the relatives in Miami."

[MJY1288]

JW and Larry Klayman have absolutely NO credibility anymore, For them to post an article with this title, shows how desperate Larry Klayman is.

[deport]

Siskind's Immigration Bulletin - March 9, 2001

*********

The Miami INS District Director, Robert Wallis, who played a key role in the raid that reunited Elian Gonzalez with his father, is being promoted.  It was recently announced that he would become the new Director of the INS Central Region, headquartered in Dallas.  The Central Region oversees INS activities in 18 states, including five that border on Canada, as well as Texas and New Mexico.  Wallis has been with the INS for 27 years.

*********

What's new... just a little PR from the "ethical Washington Watchdog".....

[TLBSHOW]

Thanks! That is what I thought but I wanted to be sure. Yes the guy is a scumbag, that much is truth.

[section9]

Another screaming headline from Judicial Watch.

Klayman finds out about one of the goons' promotion, and he turns it into another chance at fundraising. Don't think this won't be in his next direct mail dump, because it will be.

The goon was probably a mid-level beaureaucrat who was due a promotion. And that's all. If any of you out there think that Bush or Ashcroft check off any promotion below the rank of U.S. Attorney, then I've got some land just south of the Miccosukkee Seminole Indian Reservation to sell you.

Besides, never forget that that six year old Cuban boy got George W. Bush elected to the Presidency. He may be a Young Pioneer right about now, but he is also Fidel's worst nightmare.

Be Seeing You,

Chris