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.
That's a good way to put it. Why would I believe anything coming out of the administration or its spokespeople about the BP agents, when the last six years have only and always been about Mexico and/or illegal aliens first, sucker middle class American citizens second.
BOR is on right now. Good Lord willin' the truth will come out eventually regarding all aspects of this case.
You been in one? You seem to know so much about prisons and getting beaten up. Maybe someday you will be beaten up, and come on here and we can all just brush you off with a so what attitude. Since you know so much... tell me why these men aren't in a safe area? Sex offenders get that so why shouldn't the border agents?
All prisons aren't the same either. Some are like dormitories others are not. Depending on where you are....
This has been covered before, but to recap, all proceedings are just recorded now. Someone has to request the transcript and pay a fee to have them typed up. I have read that the charge is $3.00 a page in this case. That's double spaced 12 font, borders, single sided, etc., it could be hundreds and hundreds of pages. The first request for them was made in November of 2006. Depending on the back log and the holidays, it could easily take this long. Now they do need to be prepared within a certain time frame unless the court reporter requests an extension.
Is this in the nature of a "planted assumption" or do you have some sources for your implied accusation?
The prison reported light injuries. Evidently, he must have lied to his wife when he told he was very badly beaten.
"That's why I gave you my answer ~ the odds are exceedingly good that the fellow who lied to Congress will have nothing happen to him."
I think that this might be a little different--given that it should be apparent to the public that the BP agents are being held to a different standard.
We can hope.
Wait until you see how underwhelming this attorney is. Someone else claimed on here Ramos was sleeping in a dormitory situation... if true, why didn't his Attorney tell BOR that?
We have a President of the United States. He has a name. It is George Bush. President George Bush.
It's not "Dubya". It's not "Jorge". Its "President George W. Bush".
***
"Dubya" is usually considered a rather affectionate name for Mr. Bush. Perhaps you would prefer "Your Highness?"
And Jorge is what the millions of aliens awaiting passage of his "comprehensive immigration reform" (aka amnesty) fondly call him.
This is nothing short of treason. Skinner needs to be on a short leash.
A very short leash.
If Lou Dobbs hasn't been able to receive the transcript (yet) under Freedom of Information Act, what makes you think any of us could do any better?
Now, if Edwards wanted some publicity he'd do just that.
what a bunch of crap. These two guys protecting our boarders are treated like scum while we let every illegal into this country. How many more illegals, will rape, kill, and whatever else they do before we wake up.
Nope but I watch a lot of informational TV. They seem to be doing a lot of shows on prison life these days on Discovery, Nat. Geographic, TLC, etc. Prison overcrowding is prevalent, unless you're in Supermax you don't rate an individual cell. Look at CA, they are trying to ship off thousands of inmates to out of state facilities and are being fought by the corrections unions. You don't know that he wasn't offered segregated housing and he turned it down due to the extreme psychological effects of being isolated for 23 hours a day. And how do you know about prisons being different?? Been in one??? I couldn't help but impugn your character as you did mine.
While I realize there are some unfounded speculations here, this case should be able to stand up to scrutiny. A thought about the men who went in the cell and beat Ramos. Those boys weren't playing games. They meant to leave marks. I can't imagine there were minor bruises and scratches. I say, keep the heat on this matter.
I did. This story can be confusing at times because there are so many conflicting statements going around. In the WND article it says that Ramos said that he was assaulted by five Hispanic men with steel-toed boots--likely illegal aliens--who cussed him out in Spanish. Yet on BOR that gal said that Ramos said that there were 3-5 who attacked him. The devil is in the details and we don't know what the details (aka facts) are.
I know one thing. The truth isn't going to found in the words of these agents families, nor WND. Anyone who has something either personally or emotionally vested in this story isn't exactly a reliable source. And that goes for those reporting both sides of this debate.
I'd like to see the transcripts. I found it interesting even Dobbs cannot get them released under Freedom of Information Act almost a year later.
I'm going to try and watch H&C in rerun and see what they have on it tonight.
These men made mistakes, there is no question about that. But none of their mistakes merited the treatment they have received. They have been railroaded to send a message... by the same Administration which let Sandy Berger walk.
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