Posted on 01/18/2007 4:34:51 PM PST by jdm
WASHINGTON: President George W. Bush left open the possibility of a pardon for two U.S. Border Patrol agents serving federal prison sentences for shooting a Mexican drug dealer as he fled and covering up the crime.
Bush said "there's a process for pardons" and the case has to work its way through the system. In an interview with KFOX-TV in El Paso, Texas, Bush said the White House will review the case, and he urged people to "take a sober look at the case."
"People need to take a tough look at the facts, the evidence a jury looked at, as well as the judge. And I will do the same thing," he said.
Several lawmakers have urged the president to pardon former Border Patrol agents Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos for the shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, who retreated to Mexico after he was shot and later admitted he was transporting marijuana while in the U.S. illegally.
The agents began serving their sentences Wednesday — 11 years and one day for Ramos and 12 years for Compean. Both were fired after their convictions on several charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, obstruction of justice, and a civil rights violation.
Rancor over the convictions and sentencing of the agents has been simmering for months, and the two have become a cause celebre among conservatives and on talk shows. Their supporters have said they were defending themselves and have called them heroes. The agents' prosecution occurred as the issue of illegal immigration was being debated in Congress and amid campaigns for last November's midterm elections.
Rep. Duncan Hunter, a California Republican, introduced a bill Thursday calling for a congressional pardon of the agents. Congress has never issued pardons to anyone convicted of a crime.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
There are times where I have to check my browser's address bar to make sure I am not on DU or Kos. This is one of them.
I agree with this 100%.
I say they should BUILD THE WALL muy pronto...like NOW.
I'm seeing Harriet Miers all over again. The Bush cognitive dissonance sufferers never gave us "right wing assholes" credit for Sam Alito. They'll somehow find some way to dismiss this too, no doubt.
Sadly, the Democrats will see to it that the Doors are thrown wide open.
The Trans Continental Super Highway comes later.
Are you claiming that he is lying when he says he will consider it?
Do you disagree with Bush's pardon of a meth dealer last month?
I have never said anything like shooting illegal workers. I only want us to get serious about some kind of border security. We are being laughed at by the drug cartels. God only knows who and what are just walking across the border every day. We simply have to get some kind of order to the process and stop the bad people. That's all.
I can't agree with you more on this.
We need to get control of the border.
You asked -- "And what are Thanksgiving turkeys guilty of, those who receive Presidential pardons ?"
Well, for me, they are guilty of being too tasty on Thanksgiving Day...
:-)
Regards,
Star Traveler
The House and the Senate need to get back to this issue as soon as possible. It's undercurrent is like a rope pulling everything else down.
I'm sure the Democrat controlled congress is going to jump right on it.
Get it over with quickly. It will hurt less that way.
In deference to the mods, I'd better not say that hostile criminals should be **** in the ***, so I will merely say that hostile criminals (this is not citrus pickers and chicken pluckers, mind you) should be forced to sit in the Comfy Chair. Until their timeout is finished.
The Republican controlled congress certainly didn't do anything to help. At least one Republican committee chairman refused to investigate and mislead his fellow congressmen when they tried to investigate. The US attorney responsible for this travesty is a long time friend and associate of Bush and his family. This whole mess goes right to the top.
The only reason we have to look for them to do something is the refusal of the Bush administration to enforce the laws we now have. That's bad enough but they have acted against those who try to enforce those laws.
The Puk needs the education.
Like I said, I'm sure the Democrat controlled congress will jump right on it (the illegal immigration issue).
Yes it did.
Thank you!
They are jumping on it.
If they have their way, soon the idea of a fence will be nothing but a memory of trying that went bad.
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