Posted on 11/08/2004 8:05:28 AM PST by Puppage
WTNH, Nov. 7, 2004 10:25 PM) _ The Department of Motor Vehicles has launched a massive investigation after a Team 8 Investigation uncovered allegations Connecticut DMV employees may be illegally selling Driver's licenses.
This is not just a story about fraud or DMV employees possibly on the take selling driver's licenses. This is a story with national security implications. Remember, the 9/11 hijackers were able to fraudULently obtain driver's licenses and they couldn't have pulled off their deadly attacks without them.
It's not just a license to drive. They've become our single most important form of identification. Without one you can't board a plane, rent a car, or cash a check.
Bill Seymour, DMV, says,"We've worked very hard at strengthening our process to ensure the integrity of the licensing system."
A Team 8 Investigation, however, has found evidence the Connecticut Driver's license system is anything but secure. In fact just the opposite, that Connecticut has a reputation for being the place to go to illegally buy a license.
"What is your understanding about how much it costs?" asks Alan Cohn. "I heard in the neighborhood of $3,500," says Henry William Pardo, Florida Businessman.
We travelled to Pompano Beach to interview Henry William Pardo, a Florida businessman who wrote a stunning letter to the Connecticut DMV.
It reads,"It has come to my attention an individual in your employ has been selling hundreds or maybe thousands of driver's licenses to illegal immigrants."
"It's apparent to you they know where to go and who to see?" asks Alan Cohn. "It is obvious there's a connection. Some kind of network," says Pardo.
Pardo says he made the discovery after almost hiring several Brazilians. He told them they needed Green Cards and valid Driver's Licenses.
Two weeks later, they returned with Driver's licenses from Connecticut. When pressed, Pardo says the men told him...
"Everyone who comes to this country from South America goes to Connecticut to obtain a driver's license," says Pardo. "They knew exactly who to see."
"What was the reaction of law enforcement when that letter was received," asks Alan Cohn. "Shock," says unnamed DMV investigator.
This DMV investigator, who doesn't want to be identified, is talking to us out of frustration. He claims the DMV has been slow in taking action against employees suspected of selling licenses.
"It's an extremely serious issue and thus far the motor vehicle department has failed to address the issue," says the DMV inspector.
The investigator cites Pardo's letter which names the illegal aliens who got licenses in Connecticut.
"The Motor Vehicle Department was able to identify the employee who completed the transactions," says the inspector.
But no action was taken. Then, a tip from state police.
"They had information that licenses would be sold by this individual on a particular day," says the inspector. "Was that employee stopped, approached, relieved at that point," asks Alan. "At that point no." "Why?" "The department had other priorities."
Our source and DMV documents identify the employee as this woman, Venita Bines.
"Venita Bines, I'm Alan Cohn from News Channel 8." "Oh, Lord. Not the news," says Bines.
DMV confirms Bines is now on paid leave while the matter is being investigated.
"Have you been selling drivers licenses and Connecticut ID's," asks Alan. "Who?" says Bines. "You," says Alan. You got to be kidding me," says Bines.
It's not just licenses that may be for sale in Connecticut. Other DMV employees may be selling vehicle registrations.
"5 Keeler Street."
We rode along with police in Rockland County, New York who say they're stopping an incredible number of illegal aliens like this man all using the same Danbury address.
In some cases drivers are telling police exactly how they went to Connecticut and bought registrations.
"Somebody is not doing what they're supposed to or somebody there is working to make a little money on the side to let things slide by. That's what I personally think. I can't tell you how many of these things I get every day," says Officer Scott Van Syckle, Spring Valley Police Dept.
DMV will not talk specifically about its investigations. All spokesman Bill Seymour will say is...
"We have a number of investigations underway. There are specific targets and we expect there could be action," says Seymour.
There's evidence at least one other DMV employee is also selling driver's licenses. The DMV says it's now cooperating with a state police investigation and the department has given us a summary of everything it's doing to tighten its procedures.
The question is how many licenses have been sold illegally and to who
Considering how easy it is to get fraudulent DMV cards, fraudulent SS cards and all that, I'm always stumped whenever someone claims that a national ID card will solve all our problems. (Particularly when it's Larry Ellison and Scott McNealy saying it.)
Team 8 - our first line of Homeland Security! You can rely on Ron Burgundy!
I wonder if a voter's registration card had our SS number on it if that would help get rid of some of the voter fraud. It is true, of course, that too many people are already getting fake SS cards, though.
Term limits should apply to state employees.
I am quite shocked, and yet, I am not shocked at all...
Obviously this goes way up the line. If the DMV is doing nothing about it, it's because they are in on it too.
Perhaps the DMV should rotate the jobs of their front office workers.
A perfect example of why we need to 'nationize' our citizenship identification process.
In anticipation of the right wingers with alumninum hats on saying 'sig heil to the brownshirts' remember that you now have to give your national id for all the things mentioned in this article. It's just that that same 'national ID' is susceptible to 40 choices for the bad guys to find a weak design to copy or a weak set of employees to exploit (Connecticut case in point).
Time to fix the system with the equivilent of a national passport for everyone, which should be the new form of accepted id for jobs and more, replacing requests for drivers licenses and social security cards which are so easily forged.
We already have a national ID card called a passport. Of course that is voluntary unless you travel internationally.
Can't someone make a law that if a crime like this is committed, they can be charged with the attempted aiding of terrorist organizations?
Connecticut is a "blue state". Anyone taking bets that it's run by the democrats?
That won't work, most likely. This smacks of institutional corruption meaning that the senior executives are probably directing this activity (and pocketing the bulk of the proceeds). Low level employees like desk workers may be able to sneak a few bogus registrations through, but bribery on this scale requires executive level oversight.
True...but what those folks propose is like the Government ID provided for the military and their families.
So now we should suspect anyone showing a Connecticut Driver's License in other parts of the country.
Wasnt a DMV worker found burned to death in a car somehwere after selling Drivers Licences? Memphis, maybe?
35 years ago, IIRC, at the Danbury state fair, a carny booth was selling fake SS cards with any number, name, or color for a lousy 2 bucks.
Looks like they've expanded the operation.
They can make a law for anything. Getting them enforced is the problem.
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