JUDICIAL WATCH UNCOVERS FORMER INS COMMISSIONER'S ORDERS TO DESTROY EVIDENCE...

Judicial Watch ^ | April 9, 2002

[FreedominJesusChrist]

For Immediate Release

Apr 9, 2002

Press Office: 202-646-5172

MEDIA ADVISORY

JUDICIAL WATCH UNCOVERS FORMER INS COMMISSIONER MEISSNER’S ORDERS TO DESTROY EVIDENCE IN DECISION TO RETURN ELIAN GONZALEZ TO CUBA AND SUBSEQUENT, ILLEGAL RAID ON GONZALEZ FAMILY HOME

Press Conference For Release of Documents

Date: April 10, 2002

Time: 8:00 AM

Place: Sheraton Biscayne Bay

495 Brickell Avenue

Parlor 3

Miami, FL

(Washington DC / Miami) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced that tomorrow, April 10, 2002, it will release documents revealing former Immigration and Naturalization Service (“INS”) Commissioner Doris Meissner’s orders to destroy evidence and obstruct justice in the illegal raid that returned Elian Gonzalez to Communist Cuba that resulted in the beating and gassing of dozens of peaceful protestors by INS agents. The documents were produced for the first time today in a trial before the Merit Systems Protection Board (“MSPB”), in Miami, concerning charges of retaliation against INS Special Agent Rick Ramirez, by his supervisors in the Miami District Office of the INS. An INS attorney, Diana Alvarez, produced the documents during sworn testimony in the hearing. Ramirez is an INS whistleblower who initially revealed the INS and Justice Department obstruction of justice and anti-Hispanic prejudice that pervaded the Elian Gonzalez saga.

The documents reveal that the U.S. government had information indicating that Juan Miguel Gonzalez (Elian’s father) had sought to leave Cuba for the United States. They also reveals the U.S. government was aware that Juan Miguel wanted Elian to stay in the U.S. and that the father was being coerced by the Castro regime.

INS attorney Rebeca Sanchez-Roig notes that she was ordered to destroy all documents, but retained a copy of the e-mail because she believed Meissner’s destruction orders to be improper.

Copies of the documents will be made available at the press conference.

©

Copyright 1997-2002, Judicial Watch, Inc.

[Howlin]

But Ramírez's attorney, Larry Klayman of the conservative legal watchdog group Judicial Watch, said the memo showed that some INS officials thought Elián deserved asylum since Cuba might have pressured his father.

That, of course, is Klayman's interpretation; just as I posted above, what other sources say isn't quite the same thing that Klayman says. Of course, the AP isn't asking for donations.

BTW, I wouldn't assume that any press conference took place until it's reported.

[thinden]

I hope she still has a job after today.

I hope she still has a pulse.

[martin_fierro]

Hey, all I know is that of the four major cases in which Klayman was attorney during the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, here were the results:

• FORMER WHITE HOUSE EMPLOYEES VS. HILLIARY CLINTON ET. AL: Dismissed w/prejudice, 3/28/01
• FLOWERS V. CARVILLE, STEPHANOPOLOUS, HILLIARY CLINTON ET. AL: Dismissed, inter alia, due to missing the Statute of Limitations, 8/24/00 (bonehead!). Dismissal now on appeal (by Klayman). Lotsa luck.
• BROADDRICK V. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT/DEPT. OF JUSTICE: Case dismissed, 3/28/01.
• "PROJECT X" MISSING E-MAIL CASE: Petered off to nothing.

No one wanted to take Klayman seriously more than me. But he blew it.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Okay. Likewise, if I were you, I wouldn't assume that the JW press conference didn't happen, unless reported.

In reference to your above claim that the Judicial Watch lawsuit concerning Ramirez's allegation of anti-Hispanic racism at the INS was thrown out--you aren't really telling the whole truth, which isn't fair.

The lawsuit was apparently thrown out of court because Ramirez did not follow proper procedures and gone through all proper channels internally to solve the dispute first.

[Howlin]

The lawsuit was apparently thrown out of court because Ramirez did not follow proper procedures and gone through all proper channels internally to solve the dispute first.

Does that or does that not mean it was THROWN out? Are you parsing words with me?

[Luis Gonzalez]

Better read everything available. The INS stated that if coercion could be demonstrated, then political asylum should be granted. They said this KNOWING that the Castro government had a speaker/listening device installed in Juan Miguel's house in Cuba.

Miami media is still reporting that Klayman claimed to have proof about Juan Miguel asking for asylum and being denied by Reno. I am still looking for any sort of verification on that.

[Howlin]

This remark:

In March, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit in which Ramirez claimed he was harassed for reporting alleged anti-Cuban bias in the agency after the Elian case.

is from the AP, not me.

[wjcsux]

I am shocked! Corruption in the Reno Justice Department?

[FreedominJesusChrist]

I would not say that the missing e-mail scandal resulting in nothing.

For Immediate Release

Jan 17, 2002

Press Office: 202-646-5172

JUDICIAL WATCH UNCOVERS 1.8 MILLION CLINTON WHITE HOUSE E-MAIL

GOVERNMENT ADMITS 1.8 MILLION E-MAIL FOUND AS A RESULT OF JUDICIAL WATCH’S EXPOSING HIDDEN CLINTON-GORE E-MAIL – RESTORED AT A COST OF OVER $12 MILLION

E-MAILGATE UPDATE

(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, said today that the government, in a court filing January 9, 2002, has admitted that it found 1,844,242 e-mail from the Clinton-Gore White House. This e-mail has never been searched in response to subpoenas and documents requests from Judicial Watch, Congress, and independent counsels. The e-mail were restored at a cost to taxpayers thus far of $12,066,346. The e-mail, which is in the custody of the National Archives, must now be searched pursuant to court orders.

Judicial Watch, which is prosecuting the Filegate $90 million class action lawsuit on behalf of those whose FBI files were misused by the Clinton White House, first exposed the e-mail scandal in early 2000 through its client Sheryl Hall, a former top computer official at the Clinton White House, who testified that incriminating e-mail concerning virtually all the Clinton-Gore scandals had never been produced as they should have in response to document requests and subpoenas. Another Judicial Watch client, former White House computer contractor Betty Lambuth, also testified (along with others) that high-level White House officials threatened Northrop Grumman White House computer contractors to keep quiet about the hidden e-mail or face jail and firing. These threats occurred in the middle of the Lewinsky scandal. The scandal was the subject of a months long evidentiary hearing that included the testimony of the late Charles Ruff, John Podesta, and Cheryl Mills. The court is in now considering whether to commence criminal contempt proceedings. A decision is expected soon.

“If not for Judicial Watch’s heroic clients, this e-mail would have been lost forever. We are confident that the e-mail contains a treasure trove of information concerning Filegate, Chinagate, and, yes, even Enrongate. Any incriminating e-mail will be part of renewed Judicial Watch efforts to put the Clintons in jail,” stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.

[deport]

I'm not sure that Agent Ramirez was represented by the "etichal Washington Watchdog" in the suit that was dismissed. Do you know. Lusi Gonzalez would probably know... Was these documents under request at the time they were supposedly distroyed? If not then what is the yep about.....

I thought this was about Agent Rick Ramirez but he seems to have fallen out of the "ethical Washington Watchdogs" view.

[VRWC_minion]

But, but Klayman works 60-70 hours a week.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

I am not parsing words with you; I am just asking you to be fair. It is true that lawsuit was thrown out of court, but you didn't state why, which would have been the fair and accurate thing to do.

Anyway, although the AP is better than most media outlets, I am sure that they still have their bias too. I can see a difference between the AP reports of this incident and that of the Miami Herald's report.

[Luis Gonzalez]

You know me, I'm no Larry defender, but I am interested in the truth.

The lawsuit got dismissed because it couldn't proceed in a Court until Rick had exhausted internal grievances protocol. Yesterday's hearing was the start of the internal grievance system.

Larry screwed up by filing to begin with, he just wanted press coverage.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

I am pretty sure that Ramirez was being represented by Judicial Watch when the first lawsuit was dismissed, but check with Luis Gonzalez first.

[VRWC_minion]

But Ramírez's attorney, Larry Klayman of the conservative legal watchdog group Judicial Watch, said the memo showed that some INS officials thought Elián deserved asylum since Cuba might have pressured his father.

All it indicates is they considered the possibility.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

"Larry screwed up by filing to begin with, he just wanted press coverage."

I guess that would depend on who approached who first.

[VRWC_minion]

it states that Elian's father at one time, sought an immigrant visa to the United States.

I missed that. Please give exact quote.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Hey! Who's Lusi Gonzalez?

LOL! Rick Ramirez will my guest on the next Banana Repiublican Radio Hour.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Again, according to what media outlet you are reading, the pendellum swings one way or another.

[Luis Gonzalez]

From the Miami Channel 10 Website

 

Group: INS Destroyed Documents In Elian Case Judicial Watch Has Copy Of Controversial Memo Posted: 11:50 a.m. EDT April 10, 2002
The watchdog group Judicial Watch says it has proof that the head of the INS ordered the destruction of documents in the Elian Gonzalez case.

Judicial Watch made public Wednesday a copy of a memo that summarized a conference call on the Elian case that involved several INS employees, including Doris Meissner, then the INS commissioner.

In the memo it was suggested that Elian's father at one time sought to depart Cuba to live in the United States by applying for a visa lottery.

Also, according to a handwritten notation at the bottom of the INS memo dated December 29, 1999, Meissner ordered the memo destroyed the very next day.

Meissner announced her decision to return Elian to his father on Jan. 5, 2000.

The memo also discussed allegations that the Cuban government had been coercing Juan Miguel Gonzalez through the use of a speaker-phone monitoring device at his home.

The memo said if coercion could be shown the INS could "potentially accept the child's asylum's application and advise that there is no prohibition on age to child filing application. As such PA should proceed." According to Judicial Watch, "PA" apparently refers to "political asylum".

Judicial Watch attorneys said that INS lawyer Diana Alvarez gave a copy of the memo to them during a civil service hearing Tuesday.

The hearing is in regards to INS special agent Rick Ramirez's accusations of threats, harassment and anti-Cuban sentiment in the INS Miami office at the time of Elian's controversial stay in the United States.

The notation, signed by INS attorney Rebeca Sanchez Roig, also said Meissner ordered that no more discussions related to Elian's case be put in writing.

For South Floridians, Elian will always be remembered as the center of enormous controversy. The city and country were divided over what to do with the rescued boy while he spent several months with family members in Little Havana before federal agents reunited him with his father, for his eventual return to Cuba. He now lives with his father in Cardenas.