Posted on 02/06/2007 6:18:29 PM PST by calcowgirl
A Department of Homeland Security official admitted today the agency misled Congress when it contended it possessed investigative reports proving Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean confessed guilt and declared they "wanted to shoot some Mexicans" prior to the incident that led to their imprisonment.
The admission came during the testimony of DHS Inspector General Richard L. Skinner before the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, according to Michael Green, press secretary for Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas.
Culberson was questioning Skinner about a meeting DHS officials had Sept. 26 with him and three other Republican congressman from Texas, Reps. Ted Poe, Michael McCaul and Kenny Marchant.
WND previously reported that at that meeting the DHS Inspector General's office asserted it had documentary evidence Ramos and Compean:
2. stated during the interrogation they did not believe the suspect was a threat to them at the time of the shooting;
3. stated that day they "wanted to shoot a Mexican";
4. were belligerent to investigators;
5. destroyed evidence and lied to investigators.
This prompted a startled and angry response from the congressman.
"You lied to me and you lied to all of us," Culberson charged. "Your office tried to paint a picture of Ramos and Compean as dirty cops, and now you come before this committee and tell us you never had the information to back up those claims."
Ramos and Compean began prison sentences last month after their actions in the shooting of a drug smuggler who was granted immunity to testify against them.
Responding to Skinner's testimony yesterday, Poe said it "explains why DHS has been stonewalling Congress."
"DHS didn't turn over the reports to us to back up their September 26 accusations for one simple reason – the reports never existed," the Texas congressman said.
"Why did it take DHS four months to admit their error?" he asked. "I wonder how much more has DHS told the public and Congress about Ramos and Compean that simply isn't true?"
Poe said he's determined to get to the bottom of DHS's claim.
"I expect this new revelation will lead to a lot more questions before we're done," he said.
Andy Ramirez, who has been involved with the case as chairman of Friends of the Border Patrol, told WND the DHS's actions "represent obstruction of justice, and they should be held in contempt of Congress, and, if possible, prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
"This admission today is yet more proof of how they are willing to distort the facts, as I have charged all along, in order to ensure a conviction," he said.
Thanks! I didn't mean to leave anybody off--I'm sure I missed many!
If he doesn't (distance himself) then I will be profoundly disappointed in the man I thought him to be.
Thanks for the information.
Dooh! I was incorrect, this is a NiFong Story continuation. Whole different issue...redact.
Pardon
Reinstate
Promote ahead of peers
...and for added value:
Pick any two senior BP officials who assisted the prosecution, fire them ("accept their resignations with regret", even) and replace them with these two.
Interesting thought.
Speaking of Senators..... I hear a lot from congressmen on this. What Senator is out there asking for their release?
Yeah. Forget about pardons. If any of this is true, some very serious crimes have been committed, and they are in danger. He needs to give them witness protection until this is sorted out.
I think that to get a government job, people must have to take some kind of test to see if they are supid enough....or just getting a job there triggers some kind of brain chemical that turns on some kind of hidden stupid gene.
Was that a test to see who read your whole post? LOL. BTW... Ramos is in Miss. and Compean is in Ohio. Both wives are still in TX, as I understand it.
Just a guess. I would imagine that the Mexican President made a request that the men not be shown leniency.
Just one question. Did you read the article on this thread you are posting on?
If there is BS in the prosecution of the BP agents, I want to get to the bottom of it..
Ummmmm, I don't think that's your only motivation. I can remember having a "discussion" with you some months back about securing our borders. You didn't seem to think that amnesty was a bad idea IIRC.
I admit I have supported Bush until now---this deal with the Border Agents has made me change my mind about him, especially since he favors the mex's (got them in his own family and was raisd by them)---just like any other scumbag politician Bush is no longer interested in doing right or at least telling voters he will do right since he cannot run again and will sit back for life and be accorded honors as an ex-pres at taxpayer expense, therefore, he doesn't 'give a s--t or rats ass' what anyone thinks about him---put them (politicians)all in any barrel and you will get basically the same piece of lying garbage if you pull one out, regardless of party! God help America with the trash that is supposed to be leading Her today!!
I don't remember anybody doubting Ramos was attacked, in EITHER of the threads on the subject last night or today.
There was some confusion as to why inmates would have steel-toed boots, but that was cleared up by a poster suggesting the boot companies actually market a boot for that purpose.
And there was doubt that he could be severely beaten but refused medical treatment. The new report posted in this thread says he had minor cuts and bruises -- that is certainly believable and doesn't require us to weave a conspiracy involving the President, Attorney General, a warden, prison guards, and Mr. Walsh.
But I don't remember anybody saying they were sure the story was a lie or anything. I know I didn't.
He.... we're only getting 3,000 a day into Arizona now (thanks to the NG on the border /s) how many are coming into California these days.
"Does anyone know WHY DHS is doing this?"
because they can.
Putting this man into the general population, when he had been promised solitary, is beyond injustice. Someone wanted a problem taken care of.
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