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...................."
“filing a false report are serious crimes”
They filed NO report. False or otherwise.
Also, they were not required to file any report.
“I don’t think a unamrmed man deserves to die for trying to smuggle pot.”
He did not die, and the only evidence he was unarmed was his (Aldrete-Davilla’s) testimony.
“IMHO, Beating a guy who’s trying to surrender, and then shooting at him as he tries to flee,”
Again, the only evidence of this was Aldrete-Davilla’s testimony. That was not the testimony from anyone else.
No, you, Bush, Johnny Sutton and all the wetback huggers support anything to keep the borders wide open - including defending some scum bag drug dealer.
YAY!!!
This was MUCH WELCOMED NEWS for me when I heard
this on Rush right after the NOON hour (CST) today!
Pingin’ some others here !!!!
Thanks for the ping!
Glad to see this happen, but it should have been done long ago. Bush should have cared more about americans, than possibly pissing off mexicans. Pandering to the hispanics has really worked well for the Republicans... way to completely misread the tea leaves and let 2 patriots rot in jail for years, while your administration gave not only a pardon but a free pass to a drug dealer.
I don’t think its anything to celebrate.
Justice delayed is justice denied. Bush has denied these good men justice for far too long.
bump! bump! bump!
Glenn Beck had Ramos and Compean’s wives on his Fox show today. He gave them an opportunity to address President Bush. They both said, “Thank You!” I’m so happy for the agents and their families.
Better than them rottin’ in prison
for another ten year methinks. :)
:^D
I am glad they are out of jail. Notice the conviction will still be on their record. Bush has been a hald-assed President at best and he still is.
I am glad they are out of jail. Notice the conviction will still be on their record. Bush has been a half-assed President at best and he still is.
You are 100 percent correct. That comic strip tells the truth in a way that cannot be refuted by any sane American that has witnessed the past eight years of GWB.
Phil, you should have been running in the 2000, 2004 or 2008 primaries although the RINO-GOP would have probably run you out of the race just like they did Duncan Hunter.
You tell the truth, and “they can’t handle the truth”.
Now if he can reverse the "Bailout" of the UAW in his last hours in office, he might rescue his legacy.
General Pace called homosexuality "immoral", and for that Democrats wanted him crucified.
President Bush not only made him retire, but forced him to issue a statement that he "regretted" the remark.
Sigh.
I was initially disappointed with the decision to commute instead of pardon. After thinking about it though and I have changed my mind. A pardon requires an admission of guilt by the pardonee. Commuting the sentence allows the status to remain open so that innocence can be proven at a later time without an admission of guilt.
The commute is better than the pardon.
Regarding General Pace, Wikipedia has this comment:
“In June 8, 2007, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that he would advise the President not to renominate General Pace because of concerns about contentious confirmation hearings in the Democratic-controlled Congress.”
Beyond that, I believe Pace wouldn’t have been confirmed. The Senate has to confirm the appointment, you know. I was disappointed he didn’t get renominated, but there was no point in sending him to a hearing where he would be attacked and not be confirmed.
Regarding the auto funds, are you aware that the UAW is required to give concessions or the money has to be returned? The UAW is quite upset about it.
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