Posted on 02/06/2007 6:18:29 PM PST by calcowgirl
A Department of Homeland Security official admitted today the agency misled Congress when it contended it possessed investigative reports proving Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean confessed guilt and declared they "wanted to shoot some Mexicans" prior to the incident that led to their imprisonment.
The admission came during the testimony of DHS Inspector General Richard L. Skinner before the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, according to Michael Green, press secretary for Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas.
Culberson was questioning Skinner about a meeting DHS officials had Sept. 26 with him and three other Republican congressman from Texas, Reps. Ted Poe, Michael McCaul and Kenny Marchant.
WND previously reported that at that meeting the DHS Inspector General's office asserted it had documentary evidence Ramos and Compean:
2. stated during the interrogation they did not believe the suspect was a threat to them at the time of the shooting;
3. stated that day they "wanted to shoot a Mexican";
4. were belligerent to investigators;
5. destroyed evidence and lied to investigators.
This prompted a startled and angry response from the congressman.
"You lied to me and you lied to all of us," Culberson charged. "Your office tried to paint a picture of Ramos and Compean as dirty cops, and now you come before this committee and tell us you never had the information to back up those claims."
Ramos and Compean began prison sentences last month after their actions in the shooting of a drug smuggler who was granted immunity to testify against them.
Responding to Skinner's testimony yesterday, Poe said it "explains why DHS has been stonewalling Congress."
"DHS didn't turn over the reports to us to back up their September 26 accusations for one simple reason – the reports never existed," the Texas congressman said.
"Why did it take DHS four months to admit their error?" he asked. "I wonder how much more has DHS told the public and Congress about Ramos and Compean that simply isn't true?"
Poe said he's determined to get to the bottom of DHS's claim.
"I expect this new revelation will lead to a lot more questions before we're done," he said.
Andy Ramirez, who has been involved with the case as chairman of Friends of the Border Patrol, told WND the DHS's actions "represent obstruction of justice, and they should be held in contempt of Congress, and, if possible, prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
"This admission today is yet more proof of how they are willing to distort the facts, as I have charged all along, in order to ensure a conviction," he said.
With reports of BP personnel being sued for defending themselves, and these guys being put in prison, in the general population no less, you have to ask who in their right minds would want to become a Border Patrol agent now?
If they violated policy on firearms, fine. Fire them. You don't put them in prison for the rest of their children's childhood, to be killed by some felon looking to make his bones.
How about medals , promotions and backpay ? ;-) (/sarc)
I'd take a commutation for now, a pardon might be too much to expect or hope for at this point.
What?
*I'm kidding or being sarcastic?
They would have been sealed up on 9-12-01 if they were!
You really gotta' ask what his motive is in this ~ is he doing a deal for a drug dealer buddy, or a cousin in Mexico?
IMHO we have the worst DHS secretary possible... Chertoff and he was the man in charge of FEMA during Katrina, too... if anyone's head should roll he's the man..
NBCSanDiego.com
Duncan Hunter: Beaten Border Agent Should Have Been Segregated
POSTED: 4:22 pm PST February 6, 2007
UPDATED: 4:27 pm PST February 6, 2007
EL PASO, Texas -- A former Texas Border Patrol agent is recovering after being beaten by his fellow inmates in a Mississippi prison.
Prison officials confirmed that Ignacio Ramos was attacked late Saturday and suffered minor cuts and bruises. Four inmates are under suspicion in the investigation of the assault.
Ramos has now been moved to a special housing unit.
Ramos and another agent were convicted of shooting a suspected drug smuggler in 2005 and then lying about it.
San Diego-area Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter said Ramos should have been segregated from the general prison population for his own safety when he reported to prison in January. Hunter has called for the two agents to be pardoned.
Considering he came out of the Clintonista state dep.?
I do not think you need to wonder much...
30% 25% 20% 15% 10%?
I can't even believe I'm saying this about Bush. How low does he need to go? How much more of his base can he p ss off before he leaves office?
Somehow I think there is something here that links with Sutton's other high profile drug/border case.
Thanks! They need to lawyer up,, no time to wimp out.
It's been a month here without Fox News Channel.. so no O'Really, Sean&Cycloplopus. uhh Colmes,, ScHlEP, I miss the Brit Hume hour, That's about it.
I've looked at some of the court documents available (for a fee) online through Pacer. While there are a lot of things sealed, the transcripts aren't in that category. The transcripts from the trial simply haven't been created yet. The transcripts for the appeals process were requested by both defendants after sentencing (11/15 and 11/30/06)--and appropriate payment arrangements made. The ball is in the court reporter's court to prepare them and file them with the court. I have no idea what the normal timing for that process is.
I always thought that this sort of "after the fact" info painted a "not beyond a reasonable doubt" scenario. Shouldn't the 2 agents be released immediately based on this?
Mark Rich gets a pardon by Clinton yet Bush lets these heros sit in prison. I'm starting to become very concerned for our republic.
White House Comment Line 1-202-456-1111
Does the administration really need human sacrifice to get its obsessive "immigration reform"?
In the way the NRA president said Clinton needed a certain level of violence?
Prison officials on Tuesday confirmed assertions by a congressman and relatives of Ignacio Ramos. He was attacked Saturday night after his case was described on the TV show "America's Most Wanted," the officials said."
BOR says his program is going to ask for the AG to investigate the warden.
What else is DHS lying to us about?
Every time I fly and am forced to remove my shoes, I'm grateful Richard Reid is not known as the Underwear Bomber.
— Douglas Manuel, aerospace executive regards airport security. Reported in USA Today, 13 March 2003.
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