Posted on 01/03/2007 1:21:09 PM PST by Tim Long
The Issue:
Persecuted because they were doing their jobs.… That’s precisely what has happened to two U.S. Border agents who were convicted and sentenced to 11 and 12 year prison terms for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler who had crossed our border illegally and physically assaulted one of the agents.
This outrageous injustice took place near El Paso, Texas—a hotbed of illegal activity, where drug smugglers, and violent gang members illegally crossing from Mexico are often encountered. On February 17, 2005, U.S. Border Ignacio Ramos (a former nominee for border patrol agent of the Year), and Jose Compean attempted to apprehend a fleeing illegal alien at our border.
Today, both are facing 20 year prison terms, and even more outrageous, this same illegal alien is now suing the U.S. for $5 million claiming his civil rights were violated. Click here for the Lou Dobbs report.
Both agents must surrender to federal authorities on January 17, to begin their terms. However, Grassfire.org is calling on the President to pardon them, and is rallying at least 200,000 citizens to sign our petition. Because of the timeliness of this issue, we will electronically deliver all signed petitions, and personal comments about this case directly to the White House.
On December 21, 2007, Grassfire presented nearly 160,000 petitions demanding the full pardon of border agents Ramos and Compean to Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-46th), an outspoken supporter of the agents, during a national press conference. Additionally, Grassfire President Steve Elliott appeared on Fox News' Fox and Friends to make a plea for the agents (click here to see Steve's interview). Grassfire is urging ALL members of our team to contact their lawmakers, and the White House demanding these agents be pardoned. To contact the White House, 202-456-1111.
Total signers: 193,500
Your Sponsor: Mr. Tim Long The Petition States: To: President George W. Bush,
As a citizen of the United States I am outraged to learn that two U.S. Border Agents have been convicted of lengthy prison terms for doing their jobs-- pursuing illegal aliens who cross our border, and I’m calling on you to officially pardon them for their actions.
I am even more outraged to learn that this illegal alien (who was attempting to smuggle about 800 pounds of marijuana into our country), was tracked down by a Department of Homeland Security Investigator and granted immunity for his testimony against these two agents!
This is a terrible injustice, and I urge you to use your considerable authority and power to pardon these two agents and right this obvious wrong!
Step #1 -- Sign Here: Title: First Name: Last Name: Address 1: Address 2: City: State: Zip: Country: Phone: Email: Confirm email:
Step #2 -- Your Personal Message: Tell the President in your own words to pardon these agents! (Your comments will be included in your petition to the White House)
Include your subject line here: Subject:
Include your personal comments here: Message to the President (150 characters max):
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Step #3 -- Submit Your Petition:
Please email me periodic updates on this issue Allow partner organizations to contact me via email.
Please take a moment and add your name. It costs nothing, your e-mail address will not be sold or given to anyone else without your permission, and it takes less than five minutes of your time.
You must be 18 years of age or older to sign this petition.
False. They were convicted by a jury for Obstructing Justice which carries a mandatory ten year sentence.
Using this as a tool to bash Bush makes Freepers look like hypocrites and morons.
You betcha! First time I personally, have seen it.
I totally agree. Thanks for posting the link.
Thank you....I'm about sick of this BS also. They shot at a fleeing man 15 times, then tried to cover it up.
Testimony given by an illegal drug dealing smuggler who has been given immunity , and gets sweet revenge in the process..is hardly good evidence.
Juries that will fall for testimony that sounds like a bad NYT editorial, deserve to be jailed themselves. And a President who will not pardon such an unjust conviction has totally LOST what little respect I had left for the man.
Like it matters to him, he sure is not trying to get elected. But he may want to think, the voters opinions may be the ones to keep him from impeachment when the dems move in..or not
Next time, border agents need to kill the next smuggler that puts tail between legs and runs. Kill him before an illegal invader who deals drugs to children gets a free ride and a million dollars! If agents are going to jail, at least let them know to make it WORTH it.
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The man was an illegal alien invader who sold drugs to children. He was then offered immunity for his "TRUE" **cough** testimony.
Who cares how many times they fired anyway? The invader is not dead. We NEED tough protection of our borders to send a message to the OTHER type of invader - terrorists.
A little gunfire might make them think twice the nest time.
Only wackjobs want to impeach Bush. Many of whom are grifting and shilling for felons Ramos and Compean.
I agree. Only wack jobs want to impeach Bush. It is the good people of this nation who voted for Bush and have stood behind Bush - I'm one of those good people. BUT I can't see these agents as any worse criminals than the ones Bush has already pardoned.
If Bush can not see the message this sends our enemies and what this is telling illegals and his electorate who is forced to support illegals (who BTW, have NO RIGHTS), then I will no longer actively defend Bush when he needs the defense.
It is not right to convict on the testimony of an illegal invader who has been offered payment (immunity) for his testimony.
We don't want Federales on *this* side of the border.
Given the choice between the rule of law, and the rule of whatever-cop-wants-at-the-moment...
I think I'll stick with the rule of law. Trial by jury... Due process... It's really a pretty good system. Maybe we should keep it.
The message is, "Don't Obstruct Justice". Good message, I'd say.
Here are the drug dealers who Bush pardoned last week.
-Marie Georgette Ginette Briere of Gatineau, Quebec, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
-George Thomas Harley of Albuquerque, N.M, aiding and abetting the distribution of cocaine.
-Eric William Olson of Ojai, CA, possession with intent to distribute hashish.
-Phillip Anthony Emmert of Washington, IA, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine (commutation of sentence).
Interview with Cong. Poe (Tx) and Cong. Jones. 1/3/07
55 Members of Congress have petitioned the president to pardon those agents. Two of the congressmen join us here tonight. Congressman Ted Poe, Republican from Texas, Congressman Walter Jones, Republican from North Carolina. Gentlemen, good to have you with us.
Let me turn first to you Congressman Jones. The idea that the president -- how many of you signed the letter, first, 50 congressmen?
REP. WALTER JONES (R), NORTH CAROLINA: Yes, sir, we sent a letter back in December initiated by Dana Rohrabacher with 55 members of Congress asking the president to consider a pardon. I myself had sent three letters to the president of the United States and I have been so disappointed in the indifference of this White House and the president, quite frankly.
DOBBS: He hasn't responded? Not one of his senior aides has called you or said...
JONES: Well, we received a "No" response, if I can put it that way, from the Justice Department, that said nothing, quite frankly.
DOBBS: Same story for you, Congressman?
REP. TED POE (R), TEXAS: Yes, the letters that we sent to the president -- we didn't get a letter back from the president, the White House. We got a letter back from a junior U.S. attorney in the Justice Department, saying the U.S. Attorney's Office is not going to do anything about the case.
DOBBS: Before we even get to the merits of this, you're both Republicans. You've both been to the White House. You rub shoulders with this president.
You're from Texas, for crying out loud. How long have you known this president?
POE: I've known the president a long time, even before he was governor of the state, 15 years.
DOBBS: So he doesn't really -- how do you explain this?
POE: I don't understand it. It seems to be blissful indifference at the administrative level on this issue of the border agents that were wrongfully convicted in this matter.
DOBBS: You and everyone who watches this broadcast knows, you and Congressman Jones, that the U.S. Justice Department had to go after these two agents. They had to make a conscious decision to do this and they had to do so it seems -- I'll say it straight out. I'd love to hear what you think. But it seems like they had to do so at direct orders of Alberto Gonzalez, the U.S. Attorney General.
JONES: Lou, I will speak quickly because Ted's a former judge in Texas. But I will tell you what I know about it. And I'm learning something new each and every day. I'll be speaking to one of the attorneys for one of these two men tomorrow morning.
I believe sincerely that this whole prosecution of these two men is one of the greatest examples of an injustice that I have ever seen. And somewhere along the way, I think there's a skunk.
DOBBS: You got an idea where that skunk is, Congressman Poe?
POE: The Justice Department had a choice here to prosecute a known drug dealer bringing in a lot of dope into the United States or prosecute two border agents that violated some policy. And they chose the side of the illegal drug smuggler over the border agents. And that seems to be the policy of our federal government: when in doubt, take the side of the illegals. And I think the American public is tired of that policy from the Justice Department.
DOBBS: Well, you know, I won't speak for anybody but myself. But I'm sure tired of what looks like to be sheer accommodation to the government of Mexico, rather than inspired defense of U.S. sovereignty and the men and women who support and defend the borders of this country.
POE: No question about it. These two border agents, one of them nominated for Border Agent of the Year, doing their job. And they're being punished for doing their job. Our government's on the wrong side of this issue. We treated the illegal -- taxpayers treated the illegal. He's suing the federal government for $5 million. He's a known drug smuggler. He was given immunity from prosecution for bringing drugs into the United States.
MATTHEWS: The Border Patrol Council, the union tells me, Congressman Jones, that this would have been an administrative issue, the firing of their weapons, unless the U.S. Attorney decides to go after this case, give a drug dealer immunity to testify against two agents who everyone said -- is satisfied was transporting drugs, fleeing our federal agents. I mean, I don't understand it.
JONES: Lou, as you know, the prosecutor, the federal prosecutor wanted to charge these and did charge them with attempted murder for shooting an illegal drug smuggler, as you said.
And I hope -- Lou, I want to thank you and CNN for your interest in this issue. And I want to remind the people watching this show that they can call 202-456-1111 and let their outrage speak to the president of the United States and remind him that he is to defend this country from an invasion south of the border, in this case, a drug smuggler.
DOBBS: Well, you know, when you can't even get a Republican president to respond to a fellow Texan, two Republican Congressmen, respond to 55 U.S. Congressmen...
POE: I called the White House this week asking for even a verbal response and didn't get any response to that.
DOBBS: You know, there's arrogance and there's sorry arrogance. Where does this fit?
POE: Well, we need an answer and we deserve an answer. And I'm not going to categorize which type of arrogance. Lou, I'll let you do that.
DOBBS: I'll leave those choices to the viewers. But it's one or the other and it sure isn't right.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0701/03/ldt.01.html
>>
I believe sincerely that this whole prosecution of these two men is one of the greatest examples of an injustice that I have ever seen. And somewhere along the way, I think there's a skunk.
DOBBS: You got an idea where that skunk is, Congressman Poe?<<
???????????
El Andar: Los Amigos de Bush
http://www.elandar.com/bush/amigos.html
ping
The message is your going to be tried in a kangaroo court if you do something as politically incorrect as defend yourself against a drug smuggler.
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