Posted on 01/19/2009 9:58:40 AM PST by E.G.C.
Edited on 01/19/2009 10:46:59 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
WASHINGTON – In his final acts of clemency, President George W. Bush on Monday commuted the prison sentences of two former U.S. Border Patrol agents whose convictions for shooting a Mexican drug dealer ignited fierce debate about illegal immigration.
Bush's decision to commute the sentences of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who tried to cover up the shooting, was welcomed by both Republican and Democratic members of Congress. They had long argued that the agents were merely doing their jobs, defending the American border against criminals. They also maintained that the more than 10-year prison sentences the pair was given were too harsh.
Rancor over their convictions, sentencing and firings has simmered ever since the shooting occurred in 2005.
Ramos and Compean became a rallying point among conservatives and on talk shows where their supporters called them heroes. Nearly the entire bipartisan congressional delegation from Texas and other lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle pleaded with Bush to grant them clemency.
Bush didn't pardon the men for their crimes, but decided instead to commute their prison sentences because he believed they were excessive and that they had already suffered the loss of their jobs, freedom and reputations, a senior administration official said.
The action by the president, who believes the border agents received fair trials and that the verdicts were just, does not diminish the seriousness of their crimes, the official said...................."
It’s about damn time. And Ramos and Compean should have been *pardoned* not just have their sentences commuted. And note, they’ll still have to sit and rot for two more months, and I ask “why should they have to?”, either their sentences are commuted or they’re not.
TURN THEM LOOSE NOW.
i still think that those men were left in prison to appease the “open border, cater to hispanics crowd”.
What are the odds that Obama will either Pardon or Commute the sentence of Mumia Abu-Jamalamadingdong?
>>> Quite frankly, it is a cowardly act. <<<<
I concur.
See my #97.
They still committed crimes...
The law is an ass.
The laws need to be changed.
Defending one’s border is heroism not a crime.
Commuted. Oi!
The action by the president, who believes the border agents received fair trials and that the verdicts were just, does not diminish the seriousness of their crimes, the official said.
Compean and Ramos, who have served about two years of their sentences, are expected to be released from prison within the next two months.
Has Sutton reacted to this? What’s the best way to tell him to suck on it?
Well good! Now I can work on a new tagline.
‘bout time. Was starting to wonder. Thanks President Bush, you did the right thing.
It’s about bleepin’ time!
Per the USA Today article on this story, “With the new acts of clemency, Bush has granted a total of 189 pardons and 11 commutations.”
Will be real interesting to see what those “189 pardons and other 9 commutations” look like, although these two will likely (and deservedly) get the majority of the press!
Isn’t this better than a pardon? I believe it goes off their record with a commute.
GW did the right thing.
gives the “messiah” two months to figure out how to stop it.
Woohoo!! I knew he would!! All the folks jumping all over him as if he wasn’t going to should apologize now!!!
Ya, right!!
he doesn’t stand a chance of having a legacy as long as it’s the liberals writing it.
Praise God! Wonderful!!
I didn’t think he had it in him to do even this;
now if only he had pardoned them AND SCooter Libby, I might think he had a pair...
“.....are expected to be released within the next two months.”
Why in the Hell couldn’t he have released them right away? I could see holding them for a couple of days to process the “paperwork”, but two months is ridiculous. Another two months in solitary
Agreed. He should have pardoned them. But this is better than nothing.
LQ
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