El Paso's FBI chief retires 'abruptly'

El Paso Times ^ | November 8, 2003 | Diana Washington Valdez

[FITZ]

The FBI's top man in El Paso, Hardrick Crawford Jr., retired "abruptly" Friday afternoon amid complaints against him by Mexican officials.

Crawford, 54, declined Saturday to discuss specific reasons for his retirement after 23 years with the FBI, including the past two years as special agent in charge of the El Paso office.

"I had think been thinking about retiring for over a year, and I decided to tender my resignation at this time to pursue private consulting," he said in a telephone interview. "I will remain in the El Paso area for now. That's all I want to say for now."

FBI officials also declined to discuss reasons behind what they acknowledged to be a sudden retirement: "He chose to retire abruptly. He had retirement on his mind for a while. It was best for him and his family," El Paso FBI spokesman in El Paso Art Werge said.

Crawford acknowledged that he was criticized in Mexico for his friendships with Jose Maria Guardia, owner of the Juarez racetrack, and Catholic Cardinal Juan Sandoval Iniguez of Guadalajara.

"I am proud to be associated with these two men who are relentless in their pursuit of justice," said Crawford, who earlier this year stated in a news conference in Juarez that he stood behind both men. "It's Sir Edmund Burke who said once that for evil to triumph all that's necessary is for good men to do nothing."

Guardia and Sandoval have long criticized the official Mexican stance that Sandoval's predecessor in Guadalajara, Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo, was accidentally caught in the crossfire of two rival drug gangs when he was shot to death in 1993. Sandoval and others have claimed that top Mexican officials, particularly former Attorney General Jorge Carpizo, covered up evidence that Posadas was killed because he knew about top-level government involvement in drug trafficking.

Carpizo this year accused Guardia and Sandoval of money laundering, charges both men denied. Mexican federal officials continue to investigate the money laundering allegations

Crawford socialized with Guardia and the cardinal and defended them in a May news conference in Juarez.

In June, Alfonso Maria y Campos, an official with Mexico's foreign ministry and friend of Carpizo's, wrote a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City complaining that Crawford was interfering in his country's internal affairs. This resulted in U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza ordering Crawford not to make any more public statements about Mexico and not to go to Juarez in his capacity as an FBI official.

Crawford was allowed to visit Juarez on a social basis only.

During his tenure in El Paso, Crawford was criticized by some Mexican officials for the FBI's involvement in an operation targeting thieves who crossed the border to steal from Union Pacific trains. He also was criticized by some in Mexico for statements about the unsolved slayings of more than 300 women in Juarez in the past decade, which he termed "crimes against humanity."

FBI officials said someone from headquarters in Washington, D.C., will be in El Paso Monday to act as special agent in charge until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Before coming to El Paso in 2001, Crawford was involved in several high-profile FBI cases.

In 1998, he served as assistant special agent in charge of the FBI investigation of the U.S. embassy bombing in Kenya. Four men with ties to Osama Bin Laden eventually were found guilty in connection with the bombing.

In early 2001, he was acting special agent in charge of Buffalo, N.Y., FBI office, which helped capture James Kopp, the suspect in the 1998 sniper killing of a Buffalo abortion doctor.

Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com

Full story in tomorrow's El Paso Times

[FITZ]

"In June, Alfonso Maria y Campos, an official with Mexico's foreign ministry and friend of Carpizo's, wrote a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City complaining that Crawford was interfering in his country's internal affairs."

Oh brother. But Fox has no problem interfering in our country's internal affairs.

[Prime Choice]

What's worse, Fox unloads over 3 million of his people on our nation and then comes here and demands we do more for his people.

To hell with him! We should tell him to clean up his own corrupt government before making any demands on US!

[FITZ]

I wonder if Fox had anything to do with this guy's "resignation", Fox has been roaming about the USA the past few days making all kinds of demands. Fox doesn't want to end corruption in Mexico and he would certainly want someone to shut this guy up.

[martin_fierro]

Hardrick Crawford

[FITZ]

Why do the corrupt Mexican officials have any say over who runs a local FBI office?

[Texas_Jarhead]

"In June, Alfonso Maria y Campos, an official with Mexico's foreign ministry and friend of Carpizo's, wrote a letter to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City complaining that Crawford was interfering in his country's internal affairs."

This ticks me off. It seems that the stinkin mexican govt is always interfering in our internal affairs.

[FITZ]

I think what really got the Mexican government mad at Crawford was when they fired the Mexican who had infiltrated the El Paso FBI office and was obtaining important information for them. Mexico certainly doesn't care about American sovereignty but they want the drug cartels left alone --- after all --- they get big bribes from protecting the drug lords.

[PRND21]

Fox has been roaming about the USA the past few days making all kinds of demands.

Demands? Name a few.

[FITZ]

Oh please --- he's demanding amnesty for illegals, he's demanding Social Security benefits for his citizens who claim they worked here 18 months illegally, he's demanding health insurance for Mexicans paid by US taxpayers. It looks to me he might have demanded Crawford be replaced --- he doesn't like Crawford looking into the Juarez murders --- even though many of the victims' families approached the FBI for help.

[PRND21]

Source, please.

he doesn't like Crawford looking into the Juarez murders

I asked for an example of his "demands".

[FITZ]

I already gave you an example of one of his demands --- "amnesty" --- which you already knew. But here --- just in case you really haven't seen or read any recent news:

http://news.mysanantonio.com/story.cfm?xla=saen&xlb=180&xlc=1080723

Notice Fox isn't in Juarez doing anything at all about the murders --- he never has done anything on that. Those deaths obviously don't bother him at all.

[PRND21]

I checked your link. He didn't demand a damn thing.
Quit being dishonest.

Ilk.

[FITZ]

Then you show a link to back up your claim that he isn't demanding anything from the USA. He's making many many demands on this country ---- and yet --- did he promise to pay back the water to the Texas farmers? What's the hold up?

[PRND21]

Whatever. Keep fighting the dishonest fight.

[FITZ]

I take it you have no source for your claim then?

[norton]

Not bad, I guess.
It only took you a couple of posts to turn a reasonable and irate response to gringo fear of mexican furiosoness into an eye scratching contest between you and an American.
What do you do in your spare time?
PS: the other guy did what you asked for, you remained locked into your "show me, show me..." rant; kind of like dropping your drawers to prove your point, effective but a bit embarrasing.

[MissAmericanPie]

He sounds like a fine man who refused to wait around to be some politicians sacrifical goat.

[FITZ]

The article makes it sound like he got pushed to resign. Too honest for his own good I think. They recently fired a Mexican working for the drug cartels as an informant --- he illegally accessed FBI computers --- I think that might have been the last straw for the Mexican officials and they demanded he be gotten rid of.

[GeronL]

bump. I think your right

[txradioguy]

1. Pres. Fox has pressed several times publicly for Pres. Bush to give amnsety to the millions of illegal's currently in this country.

2. Fox has said that illegals in this country should be granted social security benefits like LEGAAL citizens of this country.


There are just two examples of his "demands". He's had the audacity to come to Texas several times to meet with Hispanic leaders without bothering to confer with the State Department or his "good friend" George Bush.

Meanwhile, the southern border of his country has enough barbed wire and concertina to rival the DMZ in Korea and 30% of his military roams his southern border NOT to protect from the drug dealers....but to keep illegal immigrants out ow his own country. Talk about a double standard.