Posted on 12/22/2007 2:03:15 PM PST by LdSentinal
Mike Huckabee vowed in Iowa Saturday that one of his first actions as president would be to review what he called the “absurd” convictions of Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean – and suggested he might pardon them immediately.
In response to an audience question, Huckabee said he found it hard to accept that the agents were imprisoned for shooting an accused drug smuggler who illegally crossed the Texas border near El Paso in 2005.
The two were convicted of assault, obstruction of justice and civil rights violations.
The case caused a conservative firestorm, and remains one of the hottest causes on the anti-immigration right. President Bush has refused to get involved.
The former Arkansas governor, who is surging in Iowa in the Republican presidential race, acknowledged he has been criticized for commutations as governor, but said he would take up the case anyway.
“From what I can tell … by Christmas of 2009, they wouldn't be there — in fact, hopefully by Valentine's [Day] 2009, if not sooner, they would be back home with their families.”
Earlier this month, Rep. Dana Rohrbacher (R-Calif.) and other conservative House members held a news conference calling for a pardon for the agents.
“Our president has sided with the drug dealers and the criminals over law enforcement,” Rohrabacher said. “The president's stubborn and heartless side is all too evident in this case of Ramos and Compean.”
Huckabee’s stance seems likely to win him support from followers of CNN’s Lou Dobbs. The opinionated anchor returns frequently to the case and says he considers the treatment of Ramos and Compean to be a travesty.
In a CNN.com commentary called “Time to free Ramos and Compean,” Dobbs wrote: “I have maintained throughout that the prosecution of these two agents was unwarranted, that sufficient facts were in dispute that the case should never have been brought to trial.”
But Johnny Sutton, the U.S. attorney in San Antonio, said in a statement earlier this month that it was a mistake to portray Ramos and Compean as folk heroes.
“Some in the media and on the Internet have tried to portray Agents Compean and Ramos as heroes but that narrative is false,” Sutton said.
“The actions of Compean and Ramos in shooting an unarmed, fleeing suspect, destroying evidence, and engaging in a cover-up, are serious crimes. They were prosecuted to uphold the rule of law.”
Sutton's office said in a statement that according to testimony, the man who was shot, Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, “felt a sting in his left buttock and fell to the ground. When he reached for the location of the pain, his hand came away bloody.
"Fearing the shooters were about to reach his location and kill him, he turned his head and saw the two defendants holster their weapons, turn away from him and walk back north. He got up, limped to the river and returned to Mexico where he sought medical attention and learned that the bullet had caused serious inury.
"The bullet remained lodged in his body, causing him pain and impeding his ability to walk, until extracted by a military physician in the United States."
At the Iowa event, Huckabee began by saying, “It’s interesting you bring up that case.
“You may be aware that I've been criticized rather roundly on commutations,” he continued, according to Lin.
“Some people running for president bragged they would never give one. Well, let me tell you, you look at people like these border agents who are doing their job, protecting their border, they get in prison for it? They're going to be spending Christmas Day in prison for that?
“It’s absurd. And of course I would review their case, and from what I can tell … by Christmas of 2009, they wouldn't be there — in fact, hopefully by Valentine's 2009, if not sooner, they would be back home with their families."
Hopefully by then GWB will have pardoned them.
“Review” is his way of avoiding a yes or no answer.
And don’t count on Bush pardoning them.
Well, if there’s one thing Huck’s not shy about, it’s handing out pardons.
And they’ve only gotta wait till he gets around to it in 09 IF he gets elected. Whattaguy.
I prefer Fred’s answer - that overturning the results of a trial is a serious act, and he couldn’t commit without first throughly reviewing the trial & and additional evidence.
My FEELING is these two should go free ASAP, but I wouldn’t take action without studying it pretty carefully, myself. That is one of the reasons I tend to trust Fred - he doesn’t pander to suck up to voters.
The Ramos and Compean convictions have focused a lot of probably unwanted attention on the backroom move to try to mollify our southern neighbors enough so they accept the “North American Union” and the “New Order”.
Simply relaxing our OWN rule of law, in no way improves the situation for either us OR the Mexican authorities. Much of Mexico is already subject to a rising anarchy, in which the power of moral persuasion no longer has much of an effect. There are local (and not so local) gangs that totally ignore the law, with impunity, and nobody is taking charge to clean up and contain these outlaw kingpins.
If he even does it then.
He’d have to hurt the feelings of his buddies, Fox and Sutton.
Bush will never act on this. He’s had his chance.
Eventually the courts will correct this travesty and Johnny Sutton will at least be investigated, if not punished for prosecutorial abuse.
This tragedy is NOT new, has been known by many for way too long to show "concern."
This tragedy only happened because officials such as Huckabee felt that being tough on border crossers, was "mean" and "unChristian."
Had we had tough enforcement, fencing and strong back up of our entire Border Patrol (the absolute last line between us and INVASION) this abomination would never have gone to trial in the first place!
That means he would pardon the Mexican.
Yes, Compean and Ramos will be released and possibly have many of the counts overturned. They may even have a case against the government. The fact that Bush is choosing not to shame his “good buddy” Sutton and leave these two men with three young kids each in solitary in prison over Christmas says a lot about the man. It really makes me sick. The men WILL be out by June, I predict, and Bush is just plain mean for not pardoning them now.
Huck can say whatever he wants: he didn’t even understand how serious the border issue was for most of us living in affected areas. He’s not strong on the issue and he is on his way DOWN from his little high in the polls, anyway.
More evidence that Huckster is a follower, not a leader.
Well, that’s one issue I agree with him on.
Why wait until elected to free them? Why not do something for the agents now? Or is this a case of “tell the people what they want to hear,” a la Rick Perry?
Don't hold your breath.
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