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Bush Commutes Sentences of Two Border Agents Convicted of Shooting Drug Dealer
AP ^ | 1-19-09 | DEB RIECHMANN

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...................."


TOPICS: Breaking News; Front Page News; US: Arizona; US: California; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aliens; border; borderagents; borderpatrol; bush; bush43; bushstillsucks; bushsucks; compean; corruption; crime; dea; dhs; drugs; gangs; godblesspresbush; gwb; homeland; illegalaliens; immigrantlist; johnnysutton; jorgeboosh; law; mexico; national; nifognism; nifongism; openborders; police; prison; ramos; ramosandcompean; ramoscompean; security; shadowgovernment; showtrial; usgovernment; wot
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To: E.G.C.

God speed to these two good and decent men.

And may God bless President Bush.


181 posted on 01/19/2009 11:47:01 AM PST by drellberg
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To: E.G.C.

Finally an end to this shameful episode.

Now if Sutton would end up doing time it would be perfect.


182 posted on 01/19/2009 11:47:30 AM PST by Pelham (Mexifornia. It's your future.)
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To: mkjessup; All

Is there any chance HolyO can cancel this?

I have a dream!! I dream that tomorrow, one of HolyO’s first acts as POTUS is to upgrade this to a full pardon for Ramos and Compean!!

Probably more likely the first will happen instead of the second, but we’ll see.

Prayers up for them and their families.


183 posted on 01/19/2009 11:50:00 AM PST by pillut48 (CJ in TX --"God help us all, and God help America!!" --my new mantra for the next 4 years)
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To: NavyCanDo

“I haven’t checked yet, but you can bet there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth over on the DU. “

Not just DU- there are a few here who are just like that DU crowd. If they haven’t shown up already they’ll be here soon enough crowing that R&S weren’t pardoned, just commuted.


184 posted on 01/19/2009 11:51:29 AM PST by Pelham (Mexifornia. It's your future.)
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To: tflabo

LOL, your post has made me decide to literally do just that :)


185 posted on 01/19/2009 11:54:30 AM PST by mrsmel (Hussein is not my president.)
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To: CounterCounterCulture

They have been on my mind and I had almost given up hope.


186 posted on 01/19/2009 11:54:34 AM PST by marmar ((Although, I may look different then you....my blood still runs..RED, WHITE, & BLUE. RETIRED USAF))
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To: E.G.C.

I’m truly happy to have them out of prison but these men deserve a PARDON. They were ddoing their jobs and shouldn’t be treated as criminals. It will be impossible for them to find any future work in law enforcement.


187 posted on 01/19/2009 11:54:34 AM PST by pgkdan
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To: Libertina
And the President is reported to “still believe they got a fair trial and it was a serious crime”.

It was not a fair trial.

It may not have been a kangaroo court, but it for sure rose to the level of a wallabee court.

Sutton (the prosecutor and Bush's friend) has a vendetta against the border patrol and enforcing our laws against illegal insurgent criminal invaders colonizing our country.

Politicians and their "friends" and the favors they get is despicable.

188 posted on 01/19/2009 11:57:18 AM PST by Syncro (Ti Ming)
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To: E.G.C.

Better than nothing for sure, but I’d still like to see them get a full pardon and reinstatement with back pay.


189 posted on 01/19/2009 11:57:23 AM PST by ScottinVA (All I needed to know about islam I learned on 9-11.)
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To: Jeff Head
It’s late...and it should have been a pardon IMHO...but it is good he did this on his last day. Thank God those men can now go home to their families. We needed this message sent to the illegals, the drug lords, the dems and other open border people, the Mexican government, and the likes of Sutton long ago...but it is better late than never.

Agreed, it should have been a pardon. It seems appropriate that even until the end, Bush would try to please all sides, and seem to fall short of the mark for all. I'm grateful for their freedom, but it should have been a full pardon.

190 posted on 01/19/2009 11:57:48 AM PST by SoDak (Molon Labe)
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To: Libertina

We didn’t have one the last eight years, that’s for sure.


191 posted on 01/19/2009 11:57:55 AM PST by Pelham (Mexifornia. It's your future.)
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To: E.G.C.
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...................."

In the mean time they can never again legally own or possess a firearm or even engage in hunting etc while an illegal allien felon drug dealer being enabled by a U.S. Attorney's stupidity is free to continue his high profit trade. Typical Bush politics and backing up his friends at all cost politics. He did it half right but never completely right just like everything else. I'm glad these men are finally free from prison but justice was still not served. They saw much more time in prison than many of Bush's welcomed illegals who come here and rape, rob, maim, and kill our citizens.

192 posted on 01/19/2009 11:58:01 AM PST by cva66snipe ($.01 The current difference between the DEM's and GOP as well as their combined worth to this nation)
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To: E.G.C.

About damned time!


193 posted on 01/19/2009 11:58:33 AM PST by Blood of Tyrants (Obama is living proof that stupid people should not be allowed to vote.)
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To: eleni121
"Defending one’s border is heroism not a crime."

yottadittos! (1024)
194 posted on 01/19/2009 11:59:43 AM PST by ari-freedom (Obama thinks the real world is a show on MTV)
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To: HelloooClareece

“The Congress is a disgrace. Everytime military funding came up they held this President hostage for BS domestic programs and earmarks. In the end he caved to protect and fund his military as their CIC, and to protect the U.S.”

Thank you! Not one in 10 gets this.

Now all the FReepers that have been yammering about what a big spender Bush was will have the chance to witness REALLY big spending by an administration that will only do it to reward pet groups like ACORN, climate change idiots and greedy libs everywhere.


195 posted on 01/19/2009 12:00:40 PM PST by Let's Roll (Stop paying ACORN to destroy America! Cut off their government funding!)
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To: Pride in the USA

Amen and amen. I’m looking forward t hearing what Glenn Beck says about it today. He’s been a huge advocate and has done so much to keep awareness up and enlist others to try to help these guys and their families.


196 posted on 01/19/2009 12:00:57 PM PST by lonevoice (Ich bin ein plumber)
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To: LallyG

At least they can appeal as free men. I would take my family and get out of America though.


197 posted on 01/19/2009 12:03:20 PM PST by CindyDawg
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To: calcowgirl; Cyropaedia; Bob J

Some justice has been done.


198 posted on 01/19/2009 12:04:03 PM PST by AndrewC
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To: 444Flyer

You have it reversed. A pardon is better.


199 posted on 01/19/2009 12:04:33 PM PST by Pelham (Mexifornia. It's your future.)
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To: hoppity

“They said accepting a pardon would have been an admission of guilt, and they still plan on fighting the conviction.”

Interesting.


200 posted on 01/19/2009 12:07:31 PM PST by Pelham (Mexifornia. It's your future.)
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