Posted on 04/11/2002 8:19:03 PM PDT by FreedominJesusChrist
For Immediate Release
Apr 11, 2002
Press Office: 202-646-5172
BUSH/ASHCROFT REWARDED MIAMI INS DIRECTOR WITH PROMOTION TO REGIONAL DIRECTOR POSITION
Robert Wallis Admits “Proudest Moment of His Life” Was When INS Agent Held Shotgun To Peaceful Protester’s Head During Illegal Raid On Elian Gonzalez’s Family Home In Miami’s “Little Havana”
(Miami) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates and prosecutes government corruption and abuse, took the sworn testimony of Robert Wallis today, wherein the former Miami INS director revealed that he was selected for promotion to Regional INS Director and transferred to Texas in April 2001, under the Bush Administration and Attorney General John Ashcroft.
Wallis admitted, under examination by Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman, that the “proudest moment of his life” was captured in an Associated Press photograph of INS Supervisory Special Agent Gwenn Reed holding a shotgun to the head of a prone and “spread-eagle” protestor – Mario Miranda – during the illegal INS raid to return young Elian Gonzalez to Communist Cuba. Mr. Miranda is a retired Miami police officer and was responsible for safety and security around the Gonzalez home. Wallis’ testimony came during a Merit Systems Protection Board hearing for INS whistleblower and Judicial Watch client Rick Ramirez. Mr. Ramirez “blew the whistle” on anti-Cuban and anti-Hispanic bigotry in the Miami INS office, as well as INS supervisors’ orders to destroy all documents and computer records concerning the Elian Gonzalez saga. Earlier testimony from INS attorney Diana Alvarez confirmed that the orders to destroy documents and records came from INS Commissioner Doris Meissner.
Wallis confirmed that he was aware of Mr. Ramirez’s whistleblower disclosures, and of the pervasive anti-Cuban and anti-Hispanic bigotry in the Miami INS office.
Judicial Watch, as counsel for Special Agent Ramirez, has made repeated requests for over one year to Attorney General Ashcroft, asking that he take action in this matter.
“It is shocking that rather than take steps to clean out the Miami office of anti-Cuban and Hispanic prejudice, that instead Ashcroft and his Bush administration rewarded, with a promotion, the district director responsible for the prejudice. This shows insensitivity to the rights of Hispanics,” stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.
Sure, they could have put a little bit more detail in this press release, but since it's a press release, they should be as concise as can be. I think that you guys are blowing this out of proportion.
Thanks for the pithy quote of the day, Luis. Your wit and wisdom is always appreciated, not to mention the conciseness. I will be sure to bookmark it in my brain for future reference.
Them darn 'ethics'... they just keep getting in the way.... Ethics where art thou?....
On one press release he claims that JW "uncovered" documents handed to them, and on this one, he claims that Bush and Ashcroft actually directly rewarded this guy with a promotion.
Larry lies.
I tend to have a sleeping problem, i.e., insomnia. By 2:00 in the morning I should be wide awake again.
Well they could have put a lot more detail into the Press Release if they wanted to by honest and up front as ethics would seem to dictate. But then each seems to determine what is ethical to them. I think the point has been made that 'eWW' hasn't offered any proof of wrong doing by Bush/Ashcroft in this matter of the promotion.....
Enjoy your evening out..... have a nice time.
Does Larry have proof that either Bush, or Ashcroft directly awarded this promotion?
Does Larry have any documents that prove Rick Ramirez's case, "uncovered" by Judicial watch, rather than handed to him by one of the witnesses in the trial?
The answer to both is no.
Larry lies.
We shall see. I still trust them to keep doing the right thing. They have a very high caliber of people working there, I am sure.
Thanks, you have a good evening too. Actually, I am just going rollerblading with some of my friends. It's more fun at night when you can't see anything.
And as far as this current administration is concerned, I sleep lightly!
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