Bush, Texas at Odds Over Death Case

Austin American Statesman ^ | Oct. 7, 2007 | Mark Sherman

[Sue Bob]

WASHINGTON — To put it bluntly, Texas wants President Bush to get out of the way of the state's plan to execute a Mexican for the brutal killing of two teenage girls.

Bush, who presided over 152 executions as governor of Texas, wants to halt the execution of Jose Ernesto Medellin in what has become a confusing test of presidential power that the Supreme Court ultimately will sort out.

This undated photo released by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows death row inmate Jose Ernesto Medellin. Texas wants President Bush to get out of the way of the state's plan to execute a Mexican for the brutal killing of two teenage girls. Bush, who presided over 152 executions as governor of Texas, wants to halt the execution of Medellin in what has become a confusing test of presidential power that the Supreme Court, which hears the case this week, ultimately will sort out. (AP Photo/Texas Department of Criminal Justice)

The president wants to enforce a decision by the International Court of Justice that found the convictions of Medellin and 50 other Mexican-born prisoners violated their rights to legal help as outlined in the 1963 Vienna Convention.

That is the same court Bush has since said he plans to ignore if it makes similar decisions affecting state criminal laws.

[Paleo Conservative]

It's none of Jorge Arbusto's buisness.

[mkjessup]

If this were some scumbag from ANYplace other than Mexico, President Jorge wouldn’t care one way or the other about it.

Texas should speed up the process, assign an execution date for this SOB, and send him on in to meet Mr. Needle, then Governor Rick Perry can say “whooops, sorry folks, you just now missed Mr. Medellin, he’s not here right now...”

[2111USMC]

"Ted Cruz, the Texas solicitor general, said the administration's position would "allow the president to set aside any state law the president believes is inconvenient to international comity."

I agree. WTH is W thinking?

[Sue Bob]

Frankly,

I’d like to see the Texas Rangers stand up to any federal goon they might send down here to save this sorry rapist-murderer’s behind. In fact, let’s close the Texas borders to the feds (and maybe the Californians)

[diverteach]

I sooooo ready to see W hit the road. Obviously my next worry is his successor.

[John123]

I'm unfamiliar with this case but those that do know... there is NO question this guy is guilty? How was he convicted? DNA evidence or confession?

For the life of me, I don't understand how someone can be LESS guilty because he wasn't informed of his right to the Mexican Consulate?

[tbw2]

I share your opinion.
As if murder is one of those jobs Americans don’t do enough of for themselves ...
Why should an illegal mexican get a murder reprieve when Americans wouldn’t?

[Man50D]

I agree. WTH is W thinking?

He is thinking as a socialist.

[bobby.223]

great one Paleo! his fondest wish. down with America, right jorge? let ‘em all in, what the hell.

[Man50D]

I sooooo ready to see W hit the road. Obviously my next worry is his successor.

We'll get more of the same if it's Giuliani or Clinton.

[jwh_Denver]

He’s already got my worst Republican president in my lifetime down and he’s now working on my worst ever president in my lifetime, right next to Jimmy Carter.

[mc6809e]

George Bush is the standard by which all future RINOs will be judged.

[a real Sheila]

Had lunch today with members of my ultra-conservative family. We all agreed that W has lost his freaking mind over the past few months!

can’t believe I voted for him....twice.
but what else was I gonna do?

Gore. Kerry. Blech!

[Sue Bob]

Why isn’t Bush helping Ramos and Compean in light of the prosecutor’s piling on of charges, misusing the gun charge, in order to maximize the number of years they are imprisoned for shooting a drug mule in the butt?

[Cyropaedia]

Is it any wonder that Johnny Sutton wanted to stonewall Congress with regards to the Mexican government's involvement with the two BP agents' case...?

Someone down in Mexico City has the goods on Bush...

[processing please hold]

He made it his business.

BUSH SIDES WITH MEXICAN KILLERS AGAINST U.S.

[Navy Patriot]

Now that Bush has finished off the Republican party, he’s working on finishing off American sovereignty.

[lightman]

Is he thinking as the President of the USA or the wannabe president of the wannahave North American Union?

[South40]

[Clock King]

WTH is W thinking?

Rich Daddy's Little Boy is a Globalist. He has no idea what the "little people" go through in life.

[pandoraou812]

Just kill the sob & get it over with. I have no clue what Bush is thinking anymore. The guy confessed & 2 girls were raped & killed...Give justice to the killer & end the bs.

[AuntB]

Falls right in line with the other headlines today:

Feds move to ease guest-worker rules

U.S. raises refugee admissions ceilings

U.S. lets in more immigrants for farms

US to launch $1bn ‘Plan Mexico’

keyword: aliens

[highball]

can’t believe I voted for him....twice. but what else was I gonna do?

Gore. Kerry. Blech!

We could have picked a real conservative in the primaries, instead of the guy who is so ashamed of the word that he has to call himself "compassionate."

There's still time to avoid making this mistake again. No more compromises because we think that's the only way we can win an election.

[TigersEye]

What a crock. In so many ways Bush is a wuss.

[raybbr]

He signed a confession.

[raybbr]

We could have picked a real conservative in the primaries, instead of the guy who is so ashamed of the word that he has to call himself "compassionate."

We thought we did. Remember the Limbaughs, Hannitys, et al that told us Bush was the guy we wanted?

[firewalk]

is this true?

[Don Joe]

We'll get more of the same if it's Giuliani or Clinton.

But they're not the same. Clinton always wears pants.