Posted on 01/18/2007 4:30:22 PM PST by truthkeeper
Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) was just on with John and Ken and said that he has co-sponsored, with Duncan Hunter, a bill that would provide for a congressional pardon of Border Patrol Agents Compean and Ramos. He said they have "been working our side of the aisle today" and already have 67 Republicans signed on. He said tomorrow they will start working on the Democrats. Regardless, he said the bill "went into the hopper tonight."
Congressman Royce admitted that if this pardon flies it would be "ground-breaking," but states that they are drawing their precedent from 1986; in effect, "Congress granted a pardon to 12 million illegal aliens, so why can't we pardon these two Border Patrol Agents?"
It would be a bill of attainder, would it not?
Besides, do we really need more congressional overstepping? While people may not be happy with no pardon as yet, that power was relegated to the President, or governors as the case may be, for a reason.
"A bill of attainder (also known as an act or writ of attainder) is an act of legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime, and punishing them, without benefit of a trial. The United States Constitution forbids both the federal and state governments from enacting bills of attainder, in Article 1, Sections 9 and 10, respectively."
I think so. And they were prosecuted by the US Justice System. They weren't convicted of covering anything up but of "assault with a deadly weapon". Guess it means we can disarm our agents now because they might shoot other drug runners in the butt.
January 18, 2007
Hunter Introduces Legislation to Pardon Convicted Border Patrol Agents
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) introduced the Congressional Pardon for Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean Act. The legislation pardons convicted Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who reported to prison yesterday to begin serving 11 and 12 year sentences respectively. The conviction derived from an incident involving their efforts to apprehend a drug smuggler on the international border with Mexico.
"The Border Patrol is America’s first line of defense against the constant and unrelenting efforts of drug and human smugglers to illegally enter the United States," said Congressman Hunter. "Agents Compean and Ramos fulfilled their responsibilities as Border Patrol agents and rightfully pursued a suspected and fleeing drug smuggler. It is irresponsible to punish them with jail time.
"The security situation on our Southern land border requires a strong law enforcement presence. This conviction demoralizes our nation’s Border Patrol and sends a clear message that we are not serious about protecting our borders and enforcing our immigration laws.
"We cannot turn our back on Agents Compean and Ramos or the rest of the men and women proudly serving in the U.S. Border Patrol. These two agents deserve our full support and the Congressional pardon provided by this legislation."
In addition to introducing the Congressional Pardon for Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean Act, Congressman Hunter contacted the Federal Bureau of Prisons and personally requested that Agents Compean and Ramos be segregated from the general prison population in order to ensure their safety.
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ca52_hunter/agents_pardon.shtml
The Congress has no authority in the matter. It passeed a law that was apparently broken and the guys were tried and found guilty in a court. Two branches functioned as they should.
The proper course is appeal. That absent a presidential pardon is the only remedy.
ping
OOPS! Thank you jmc813.
Sorry Antoninus!
(ping!)
Like you refrained from criticizing the CIC of the previous administration? You should refrain from criticizing FReepers.
This is a conservative site, made up of primarily folks who love and respect this president. If you want to treat President Bush like we treated President Clinton, there are websites dedicated to that cause. This ain't one of them.
I've read the Constitution pretty closely and I don't think there is any " Congressional pardon power". Perhaps that's why it has never happened in 216 years.
You said -- "It would be the reverse, wouldn't it?"
Ummm..., yes, I think you're right. A bill of "un-attainder"...
Regards,
Star Traveler
Nah, Bert...Screw the Constitution, separation of powers doctrine and 216 years of history. Lets just wing it and create a congressional power out of thin air....< sarc>
Thanks for your post...
I'm coming up empty on finding what this was about. Maybe government translators? I did see the bill didn't become "law", died at the end of the session. Ping me if you find more, please.
99.9% of freepers have never met the President. "Loving" someone you've never met is creepy. It is also tough to "respect" someone who pardons meth dealers but has no qualms about letting these two men rot in jail 1000 miles away from their families. If you're that enamored with Bush, I suggest you stay away from these threads. People are PISSED at Bush and his lapdog Tony Snow over this nonsense.
If he did his approval would sink to less than 10%.
Most Americans don't give a rats a*s one way or the other about these border patrol agents.
And if these guys had shot a Canadian instead of a Mexican, no one here would give a rats a*s either.
And I'm pissed that there are those here that can't get it through their heads that it is not the President's job to be on the cutting edge of pardons for convicted Border patrol and other officers. He already indicated he was open to it, but would surely want the facts and the process to be followed for pardons.
the blame bush for everything crowd is getting pretty tiresome.
Okay.
I just searched the names and found another one from 2005. I can't find any "explanation", but I'd like one.
Title: For the relief of Fouad Yousef Hakim Mansour and Saheir Gamil Shaker Mansour.
Sponsor: Rep Hunter, Duncan [CA-52] (introduced 10/7/2005) Cosponsors (None) Private bill
Latest Major Action: 10/24/2005 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims.
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