BUSH/ASHCROFT REWARDED MIAMI INS DIRECTOR WITH PROMOTION TO REGIONAL DIRECTOR POSITION

Judicial Watch ^ | April 11, 2002

[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.

[Howlin]

I believe there is probably a good reason though.

Well, you're the JW defender here, so which is it going to be? We take ALL your words as truth, or just the ones you want us to?

So you believe that there is a "good reason" why Klayman DID NOT spend $23,000,000 on legal cases, the very thing he says he's in business for?

Is that the same as "I believe there is probably a good reason though" that Klayman didn't go by the rules of civil hearings and jumped ahead with a lawsuit in the Rameriz case, which was thrown out? (Which Larry most assuredly did NOT issue a press statement about.)

[Howlin]

I knew you didn't have a reasonable explanation and would dodge that one, too. Your credibility is slipping.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

202-646-5172.

Having no inside knowledge of the internal affairs of Judicial Watch, it would not be fair or right for me to make that kind of speculation. Howlin, why don't you call them? Do you not, as you claim, want to know the truth?

[FreedominJesusChrist]

My crediblity was never significant to you anyway.

I think that people on this forum will realize that I am taking the higher road by refusing to speculate on internal organizational affairs of which I have no present or prior knowledge of.

[Howlin]

I think people on this forum will realize that there is no plausible explanation for NOT spending $23,000,000 it collected to "fight the good fight" on legal fees.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

I think that in all fairness, you should hear their side of the story before you condemn them publicly on the forum.

I am not a big fan of speculation, but I sure do not know about you.

[Howlin]

I think that in all fairness, you should hear their side of the story before you condemn them publicly on the forum.

CLUE: That's what we've been asking. WHY. Nobody will answer it though.

BTW, I didn't condemn them; I stated a fact.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

"Nobody will answer it though."

Well the don't sit around here and complain if you have the ability to call them up and ask them yourself. It is not my position to speculate on internal organizational affairs within Judicial Watch. I have just as much idea as you do, so don't ask me, ask them. They would be happy to answer you question, it probably isn't the first time someone has asked them this.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

You stated some financial facts and then proposed a speculative interpretation of spending decisions within Judicial Watch. Your condemnation of the organization started with your speculation Howlin.

[deport]

BUSH/ASHCROFT REWARDED MIAMI INS DIRECTOR WITH PROMOTION TO REGIONAL DIRECTOR POSITION

Since you aren't into speculation I guess you can show us where President Bush or Attorney General Aschroft signed or released a notice promoting Robert Wallis to the Director Central INS postition..... If not then that is a false statement you are promoting by saying it was Bush/Aschroft. Now I think most nominations or selections to positions that President Bush makes are announced and released by the WH. So please show us where that occurred. Now granted it occurred during the Bush Administration but to say Bush/Ashcroft rewarded Wallis with a promotion is a stretch. Now lets see the 'ethical Washington Watchdog" or you provide a link to any source stating promoted by Bush/Ashcroft.

The person announcing or making the promotion was Acting Commissioner Mary Ann Wyrsch a Clinton appointee..... Or can you and the "eWW" find something different?

[FreedominJesusChrist]

Well, the promotion happened under their Administration.

[Clara Lou]

Bush seems to have many fair-weather friends here at FR. And they are th first ones to believe anything that BOTTOM-FEEDING lawyer Larry Klayman says.

[deport]

Tell us something that wasn't known back when it was announced..... Now back up the statement that Bush/Ashcroft rewarded Wallis with a promotion. That is what is stated in the 'eWW' Press release. Can you even provide a link to where either one knew of it, sanctioned it, authorized it, rejoiced in it, announced it?..... If not then the statement is incorrect. Talk about ethics.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

That statement is not incorrect. Of course Bush and Ashcroft cannot know EVERYTHING that goes on internally within government bureaucracy, but because of this, that gives them an even greater responsibility to appoint compentent people to those positions. Obviously, this did not happen, and you instead choose to blame Larry Klayman, one of the only people around fighting for Justice for the Cuban-Americans whose rights have seriously been infringed by the Federal Government.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

"that BOTTOM-FEEDING lawyer Larry Klayman says."

If you do not like Larry Klayman, please at least come up with some constructive arguments.

[deport]

LOL...... so if it isn't correct then show me where they knew or approved of it. Of course it happened during the Bush administration, in fact he was announced by the Clinton appointed INS Acting Commissioner Mary Ann Wyrsch on March 2, 2001 just 41 days after President Bush took the oath of office. Ethics where are thou? Don't hurt yourself as you spin around and around.

[Clara Lou]

Dear FIJC,
Larry Klayman is a less-than-honest publicity seeker, as evidenced by this little release by Klayman. At least 3 people on this thread have questioned Larry and his organization. You haven't bothered/been able to answer their questions or to document what you say, yet you continue to trumpet Klayman as a positive force. Looks to me as though you've been swamped by more "constructive arguements" than you can handle, and right now you're just tap-dancing.

[FreedominJesusChrist]

You haven't thrown in any useful arguments besides personal attacks to further support your claim at all. Howlin and deport have asked me to speculate on why Judicial Watch spends money the way they do--I cannot fairly answer such a question as this. I am no inside knowledge of Judicial Watch's financial affairs, so I am not qualified to answer that question. As for the press release, I thought the title was fine and have no problem with it.

[Miss Marple]

Here is my problem with this, and with many of the comments on this thread.

Many of the people in lower level positions are CIVIL SERVICE employees of the federal government. That means they cannot be fired without cause (and cause means you have to have proof they did something really bad, as in illegal). Civil service employees are routinely promoted per general procedure. If they are not, they can file a grievance and cause all sorts of problems.

Now, since the assistant attorney generals were not yet appointed (hence the Clintonista Mary person still being in charge) and there was no charge in place to deny this person the promotion, there was no reason, with Ashcroft being on the job only a few weeks, for him to even KNOW about this promotion, let alone do something to stop it.

If this even came across his desk, the form probably indicated the guy's 27 years of service and other promotions he had, and did not contain any notation of his involvement with Elian Gonzalez. Did YOU know this guy's name? I sure as heck didn't.

So how is this something that is Bush and Ashcroft's fault? More likely it was done deliberately by the Clintonista, who then beat feet to the UN and called Larry later to give him the scoop.

Pretty low of Larry, and pretty gullible of those of you who are chronic Bush-bashers.

[deport]

deport have asked me to speculate

Really now. I've asked you to speculate..... Isn't that a switch as it appears to me that most of your support of the statement made by 'eWW' is nothing more than speculation as you can't provide documention as to it's truth.

By the way.... Just what is it that this press release purports that the 'eWW' uncovered in this Merit Systems hearing?

• That Robert Wallis was promoted?
• That he was promoted by Bush/Ashcroft?
• That he said something about the happiest day in his life?
• Or just what is it that the "eWW' is touting?

Howlin you have been accused of asking for speculations