Posted on 02/09/2007 2:09:08 AM PST by ovrtaxt
"More from Corsi... eventually Bush will have to address this."
Well be prepared...I doubt he'll revue anything else but the transcript of the trial, and will decide that the trial was fair. Too much is invested in this already and just weeks after the conviction Johnny Sutton was 'thanked' with an appointed by Gonzales to chair for the Attorney General's Advisory Committee a job "which plays a significant role in determining policies and programs of the Department and in carrying out the national goals set by the President and the Attorney General."
| U.S. retracts statements that agents were out `to shoot Mexicans' |
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| Posted by Kimberly GG to TomGuy On News/Activism 02/08/2007 11:43:36 AM CST · 40 of 45 "Posts in other threads have indicated a close relationship between Prosecutor Sutton and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales." |
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And Sutton is close to GW Bush who is close to AG Gonzales:
| U.S. retracts statements that agents were out `to shoot Mexicans' |
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| Posted by Lancey Howard to TomGuy On News/Activism 02/08/2007 11:17:12 PM CST · 57 of 58 Yesterday on Rush's show Roger Hedgecock said that Sutton and Bush are old acquaintances and that Bush appointed Sutton early on (ie., before Gonzales). I'm sure they're all on the same "open borders" page. |
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The mire in the case is turning out to be worse than the Miers case for the Supreme Court.
Not just address it, but take personal responsibility for it. The buck stops at the Oval Office.
It used to anyway...
Oh. My. God.
I'm going to take this with a grain of salt, given the fact that WND can be a little, uh, sensational sometimes. But if this is true, combined with the story that there were several other BP agents there that took verbal reports from the two currently in prison, then I'm going to really have to change my tune on those guys. Up until now, I've always been of the opinion that they shouldn't be doing hard time, but they should've been fired from the BP and punished for falsifying reports. Now I'm not so sure, at all.
If what Corsi is saying is true, this is a railroad job the size of the entire Union Pacific.
}:-)4
Bush better get busy issuing pardons for these two border agents. This story isn't going to go away, thank God, and the lies and cover-ups are finally getting the exposure they deserve. Bush and his administration are standing on top of a volcano that WILL erupt if he doesn't pardon these guys NOW. Check out this transcript from Lou Dobbs show yesterday:
DOBBS: Another high-profile and controversial prosecution. This one under attack by dozens of congressmen. They're seeking justice for Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.
We're joined now by two of those congressmen: Congressman John Culberson, Republican, Texas, Congressman Ted Poe, Republican, also Texas.
Gentlemen, good to have you with us.
REP. JOHN CULBERSON, (R) TEXAS: Thank you, Lou.
REP. TED POE, (R) TEXAS: Lou, good to be with you.
DOBBS: This looks like a clear case the Department of Homeland Security directly lying to you gentleman.
CULBERSON: Unfortunately, that's true. They lied to my subcommittee. They lied to all four of us, didn't they, Ted?
POE: Yes.
DOBBS: Congressman Poe, you're a former judge. What is -- how could this possibly happen?
POE: Well, it did happen. We met with the bureaucrats. They told us they had evidence that Compean and Ramos plotted and conspired that day to go out and shoot Mexican nationals. And they -- that's just a fabrication. That never happened.
So we asked for the documents. Those documents never appeared over four months. And finally through the Freedom of Information Act we were able to get certain documents that didn't substantiate what the government says occurred.
CULBERSON: And then in testimony before my subcommittee day before yesterday, Lou, I had Richard Skinner, the inspector general, in front of me under oath. And I asked him directly, "Where are the documents, and is it true what your investigators told us?"
And he said, "I'm sorry, Congressman, we misled you."
DOBBS: I mean, how can the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security -- is there any sort of repercussion? The fact that -- did they explain where they got that information or did they have any source for it or it was made up out of old cloth?
POE: The old double talk about where it came from. But it was a fabrication. And it's interesting, Lou, this whole case has to do with so-called cover up, misinformation by the Border agents. It turns out the federal government is the one that's giving this information about the whole case.
DOBBS: You know, I want to just share this with our viewers. The I.G. told you and Johnny Sutton has said -- the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas has said that these men admitted that this drug dealer didn't have any kind of weapon. His statement on the 19th of March, 2005 -- and this is from Jose Compean: "When he was running, he was pointing something shiny with his left hand. It looked like a gun. That is when I started shooting."
How in the world with this information in front of the public can this kind of thing be tolerated?
POE: It can't be tolerated and have to be some consequences for the government mis -- giving misinformation, not telling the truth about the real facts of a criminal case, hiding evidence, dealing with drug dealers in back rooms. We want to get to the bottom of all of this and those people that are responsible for misinformation, they're going to be held accountable.
CULBERSON: And, Lou, Congressman Poe and I are both beginning with asking for Mr. Skinner's resignation, the resignation of these three individuals that lied to us directly. This was given -- this false information was given to us so we would quit pursuing this case, so we would believe these are rogue cops. And a terrible injustice has been done to these two Border Patrol agents and discouraged every other agent on the border from using their weapons in defense of themselves and this country. And that's a travesty.
DOBBS: This case really originated -- was driven by Washington, D.C. either at the -- obviously at the Justice Department level and at the DHS level. Do you -- do you, gentlemen have any idea why Johnny Sutton took on this case, ignored the drug cartel behind this drug dealer, who was given immunity, and prosecuted with such vigor, such relentlessness two Border Patrol agents who had distinguished records in service to the country?
POE: That is the question. Why was our government so relentless in prosecuting border agents?
If they were as relentless in protecting the border, the border would be protected. And so we're going to find out the motive behind all of this. It's really chilled the effect of border protection on the Texas-Mexico border and maybe that's the effect that somebody wanted.
CULBERSON: And, Lou, I can tell you in visiting wit visiting with Border Patrol agents in Arizona and in Texas the week before last, they tell me that the word among agents, their opinion is -- and I tend to agree with it -- that this was a political prosecution pursued to placate Mexico public opinion and to help Vicente Fox's candidate in the Mexican elections. And I think that's outrageous. It's unacceptable. The effect of this prosecution has been to chill every agent, every law enforcement officer on the border to make them hesitate and think twice before they pull their weapon. And that is dangerous. DOBBS: You know, yesterday one of your colleagues, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, he said that if one of these agents now in prison is killed, there will be serious talk of impeachment. What's your reaction to that?
POE: In my own personal opinion, I don't think that is the answer to follow right now. I certainly don't. The border agents, we put the prison authorities on notice that they could be injured. And they were. You know, I was a judge forever. And prison people know how to take care of all inmates. That's one of the things they are taught. And they just disregarded simple procedures in protecting Ramos in this case. That's another question we want to find out the answer. To and they should be held accountable.
CULBERSON: I also -- agree with Judge Poe that this -- impeachment's not appropriate. I do think first of all we need to focus on making sure these two officers are given an appeal bond so that they can get out of prison until the appeal is complete.
And then secondly, Lou, I hope you'll encourage your listeners to contact the White House and ask the president to issue a full and complete pardon to both of these officers for the sake of the national security of the United States and the security of that border. We need to send a message to every law enforcement officer on the border, "We are as proud of you as we are of your soldiers in Iraq. And we want you to do whatever you think it needs to be done to protect yourselves and this country."
DOBBS: And those serving on the border are doing so with basically their hands tied behind their backs. And with this very clear statement by the U.S. Justice Department and the attorney general's office in Texas. They're basically saying that they would rather prosecute Border Patrol agents with distinguished records rather than bust drug cartels.
And as a matter of fact, gentlemen, we're going to be demonstrating why we think we can substantiate that very straight- forward priority here in just a few moments.
Congressman Culberson, Congressman Poe, we thank you both for being here, all that you are doing on behalf of these agencies, in truth, in justice, and I even believe in saying the American way. Because what has been pursued by this administration is, in my estimation, absolutely disgraceful. Thank you very much, gentlemen.
POE: Thank you, Lou.
CULBERSON: Lou, thank you for shining sunshine on this very important subject.
DOBBS: We try and we appreciate you doing exactly the same thing, and with your half making a difference.
CULBERSON: Thank you, sir.
DOBBS: We hope that justice can be arrived at here. We thank you for your efforts.
Coming up here next, we'll have much more on this case. And our senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, joins us. We're going to be analyzing exactly what in the world was the Justice Department thinking? You're going to find it shocking. I'll tell you, it is absolutely shocking.
And there are new concerns tonight about the U.S. military's use of helicopters in Iraq. And what are our enemies doing that we have not responded to? General David Grange will be here, one of the country's most distinguished former military commanders.
And what is the state of race relations in the United States? Michael Eric Dyson is the author of a provocative new book debating race. He'll be my guest here. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DOBBS: For more now on the legal issues surrounding this Border Patrol agent case which I consider to be just a travesty of prosecution, we're turning to our senior legal analyst here at CNN, Jeff Toobin, former federal prosecutor, terrific attorney.
The idea of giving this drug smuggler, illegal alien, what's called limited use immunity to testify, what does that mean that the prosecutor could have done?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: You know, Lou, when you think about the powers of a federal prosecutor, there really is no greater power that a prosecutor has than the right to give immunity.
Now, the technical legal phrase is limited use immunity, but it's not really limited use immunity. It's immunity. It means you can essentially waive the pixie dust over whatever witness you want and say, we're going to wipe the slate clean. We're not going to prosecute for you -- whatever you have done, in return for your testimony in the case. It's a huge power. You can say to a murderer, we're not going to prosecute you for murder because we want you as a witness.
It's done, but it has to be done very judiciously, and it has to be done in service of a case that's worth it.
DOBBS: Johnny Sutton, U.S. attorney's office in this case, with that powerful immunity, and it is clearly stated in the I.G.'s report, chose not, according to these affidavits, to ask that drug smuggler a single thing about the people he was meeting, the car that he was to meet, with a million dollars in drugs, the safehouse that he was supposed to go to, or anything about the drug cartel.
TOOBIN: See, this is where the power is so extraordinary. Because basically as a prosecutor, you get to say, I care about case A and I don't care about case B. I care about prosecuting these Border Patrol agents and I don't care about the million dollars in drugs. That's a judgment that is completely within the discretion of the prosecutor, but it's an incredible power, when you think of weighing which crime is more serious.
DOBBS: Which is the more serious crime and which would you rather have information about? Assuming there is any legitimacy whatsoever. I mean, this drug smuggler actually lied to investigators initially, which he admits.
TOOBIN: It's all over the papers that he lied.
DOBBS: And this -- and Johnny Sutton makes a decision not to ask about the drug cartel that was employing the source of the drugs? A million dollars' worth that he's bringing in from New Mexico?
TOOBIN: And he was in Mexico after the investigation began, and they have prepared letters to him. They basically -- they wrote letters to him saying, we promise we will not prosecute you for the drug involvement that you have in return for coming back to the United States and testifying against the two agents. So even more than the usual circumstance, where you simply have just immunity. Here you have this cross-border issue, where they said, come on back, you have nothing to fear.
DOBBS: It's incredible. And this judgment, in your -- let me ask you this. In your view, can that kind of judgment be substantiated in any way by a prosecutor?
TOOBIN: Well, this is the thing. The system leaves it to the discretion of the prosecutor. The only remedy is through Congress and the pardon power, because there is no review of a decision to grant immunity.
DOBBS: Well, I'll conclude with my view on this, and you tell me if I'm wrong. If a U.S. attorney sitting in the state of Texas, or any one border state, takes the judgment and the word of an admitted, confessed, lying drug smuggler over distinguished Border Patrol agents, and then doesn't even attempt to find the source of those drugs and to find connections and the basis for stopping a drug cartel, somebody's out of their mind.
TOOBIN: Somebody needs to explain a lot better than they've done.
DOBBS: Jeffrey Toobin, thank you for being here
Pinging you to my post #26.
Congressional investigaton? How about appointing Joe diGenova as a Special Prosecutor?
WND repeatedly has noted many of the DHS investigative reports were filed by Sanchez, who appears to have played a major role in the DHS field investigation.
This is outrageous. It's high time for Congress to withhold funding for DHS and demand Alberto Gonzalez's resignation.
DC Chapter short list ping
well well well.
Thanks for posting that transcript.
"DOBBS: Johnny Sutton, U.S. attorney's office in this case, with that powerful immunity, and it is clearly stated in the I.G.'s report, chose not, according to these affidavits, to ask that drug smuggler a single thing about the people he was meeting, the car that he was to meet, with a million dollars in drugs, the safehouse that he was supposed to go to, or anything about the drug cartel."
Someone is getting squeezed.
I have been waiting for 6 years for the real Bush to reveal himself. Turns out - he's weak, a bumbler. Now theborder patrol agents don't yell "Halt, or I'll shoot." Now they have to say, "Halt, or I'll complain to my supervisor." That's the way the White House wants it.
We are being sold out BUMP!
GOP Lawmaker Warns of Impeachment in Border Agent Case
Kevin Mooney
Staff Writer
(CNSNews.com) - Weeks after accusing President Bush of "shameful" behavior over the imprisonment of two Border Patrol agents who shot an unarmed suspected drug smuggler along the U.S.-Mexico border, a federal lawmaker turned up the heat further Wednesday, suggesting the president should be impeached if the two men are killed in prison.
Speaking after the Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that agent Ignacio Ramos was assaulted by inmates in his Mississippi prison at the weekend, California Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher had a warning for the White House.
"I tell you, Mr. President, if these men -- especially after this assault -- are murdered in prison, or if one of them lose their lives, there's going to be some sort of impeachment talk in Capitol Hill," he said during a press conference in Washington, D.C. (Listen to Audio)
(snip)
POE: It can't be tolerated and have to be some consequences for the government mis -- giving misinformation, not telling the truth about the real facts of a criminal case, hiding evidence, dealing with drug dealers in back rooms. We want to get to the bottom of all of this and those people that are responsible for misinformation, they're going to be held accountable.
CULBERSON: And, Lou, Congressman Poe and I are both beginning with asking for Mr. Skinner's resignation, the resignation of these three individuals that lied to us directly. This was given -- this false information was given to us so we would quit pursuing this case, so we would believe these are rogue cops. And a terrible injustice has been done to these two Border Patrol agents and discouraged every other agent on the border from using their weapons in defense of themselves and this country. And that's a travesty.
(snip)
CULBERSON: ... I do think first of all we need to focus on making sure these two officers are given an appeal bond so that they can get out of prison until the appeal is complete.
I can't understand his logic with that? Unless we have totally open borders, they will ALWAYS sneak in here.
And since our their President is solidly behind their reasons to violate our borders and laws, they will keep coming with no end in sight.
Notice how quiet La Raza and the Latio movement have been lately? They don't want to call attention to their potential victory.
sw
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