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.
Well, you could I suppose prosecute the DHS guy for lying to congress, if he did it under oath.
But what does the DHS not having investigation notes it promised to congress have to do with a jury finding two guys guilty?
We can suppose that there is a connection. But if the DHS guy didn't testify in COURT that he had evidence, and if therefore the evidence was not use IN court, what difference does it make? It's a public relations problem.
I note that DHS has not yet said the claims were false, just that they cannot turn over investigation paperwork proving the claims were true.
Which gets us back to the real issue -- when will be see the transcripts of the ACTUAL TRIAL, so we can see what evidence was presented at the trial. Without that, the rest of this is kind of pointless.
BTW, to be accurate, the Department of Homeland Security isn't an arm of the Prosecuter's office. I don't know if he simply relies on their reports and investigations, or if he runs his own investigations, or if he asked them to investigate.
But I don't think we can blame the Prosecuter for claims made by DHS representatives.
And if you think you can get me to defend DHS, nope, not going to do it. I won't flog them like some people, but they are a big agency and can defend themselves.
BTTT
They say he is recovering, but the Warden has yet to authorize an MD to see him. Also unanswered, by his lawyer on BOR tonight, is how a prisoner in his cell sleeping was attacked in his sleep by these guys.
This looks like one of those rare instances where a special prosecutor should be brought in and weed out the skunks.
The judge should have allowed them to remain free on bond pending appeal, yet another motion by the defendants that the judge denied. That Order is being appealed by Ramos... maybe a sane judge will reverse that order and give them some immediate relief in this nightmare.
Maybe the President is being set up.
What is the percentage of Bushbots remaining on FR?
Thanks!
More so. Join the club.
I don't know--my concern is, will they be live through the appeals process?
With all the support they have, it's surprising they don't have the best laywers money can buy.
GB needs to move them until this is sorted out.
Sadly, she was not able to answer the most important questions BOR had to ask her tonight -- like how did they get to him when he was sleeping, wasn't his cell locked -- which would have just him and a cellmate in a locked area? She didnt' know.
We don't want to leave Ray out!
So would he have been at FEMA at the same time as Skinner? (See post #14)
It is far past time for Gonzales to appoint a special prosecutor to look into the actions of the Government and its officials in this dirty case.
I thought the court reporters typed up the transcripts nightly? At least that is what I learned when I took a court reporting class.
Indeed not!
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