Thread: Bill to block aid to Mexico

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/l ... %2C00.html

Bill to target aid to Mexico

No extradition, no funds, Beauprez says

By M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News
June 15, 2005

WASHINGTON - Rep. Bob Beauprez wants to block $66 million in aid to Mexico if the country will not hand over accused cop-killers without strings attached.

Beauprez, an Arvada Republican, has joined forces with Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., on legislation inspired by the May 8 killing of Denver Police Detective Donald Young.

Their bill, expected to be filed this week, would cut off foreign aid to any country that fails to live up to extradition treaties in cases involving suspects accused of killing federal, state and local law enforcement officers.

Beauprez said it would apply to Mexico. Mexico has said it won't extradite its citizens to the United States if they could face the death penalty.

That position is based on a treaty signed by the two countries. In addition, the Mexican Supreme Court has blocked extradition of suspects facing life in prison without possibility of parole.

Mexico's policy recently forced Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey to set aside a first-degree murder charge in Young's killing. Instead, suspect Raul Gomez-Garcia, who sits in a Mexico City jail, was charged with second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, which carry a maximum combined sentence of 96 years in prison, with parole possible after 72 years.

"Mitch (Morrissey) is, unfortunately, in my opinion, sitting here trying to make a plea bargain arrangement on a cop-killer, for heaven's sake," said Beauprez, who is considering a run for governor in 2006. "This is just ridiculous, and we're back here writing $70 million checks to Mexico every year and pretending it does not matter."

Congress set aside $71.6 million in aid to Mexico in fiscal year 2004, and $73.6 million in 2005.

In coming weeks, the House of Representatives will consider a foreign aid bill including $66 million for Mexico in fiscal year 2006. Beauprez and McHenry plan to offer their bill as an amendment.

"We want to say to Mexico, if you want our continued financial support, you must extradite murderers so they can receive their due process in the United States," said McHenry, a freshman in Congress.

The Mexican government has said it is complying with the U.S.- Mexico Extradition Treaty of 1978 and is increasing its cooperation with U.S. authorities.

According to the Mexican embassy in Washington, D.C., Article 8 of the treaty provides that extraditions can only go forward in the most serious cases if U.S. authorities give assurances that the death penalty will not be imposed.

That restriction expanded in 2001 and 2004, when the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that sentences of life imprisonment without possibility of parole are unconstitutional.

At a meeting Monday with Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., Mexico's ambassador to the U.S., Carlos de Icaza, reportedly pledged to expedite a decision on extradition. Allard said that process would take one to three years, and there was no guarantee on which country would host a trial.

The ambassador reportedly told Allard: "We are very serious about our international agreements, and we are very serious about applying justice." That does not satisfy Beauprez, who scoffed at the one- to three-year time frame.

"I've vacationed in Mexico before. I know exactly what 'Mexican time' is," Beauprez said. "If I was Mrs. Young or if I was Mitch Morrissey, I would think that was painfully slow. If we are good neighbors, and I think we are, this should be a relatively straightforward, easy process."

Sprengelmeyerm@SHNS.com

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Now this is what I call a politican with some cahjones. That's right, you get this bill past at all cost. No more foreign aide to these scumbags. Heck no more foreign aide to any country period, no matter what. Stop the Great American sellout of our tax dollars to meddlesome third world countries. It's time America has a voice. Thankfully it wasn't Tom Tancredo who had to step forward for once.

The government of Mexico and their refugees have NO respect for US laws. NONE, zip, nada, zilch.


Mexico should get not one dime from us. The 20 billion sent back to their coffers from illegals in our country should be more than enough!

I would say that Rep. Beauprez is on target. Good for him.

We ned to do more of that wth every country we support. They need to do something for us in return.

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

I would say that Rep. Beauprez is on target. Good for him.

We ned to do more of that wth every country we support. They need to do something for us in return.

Right on. YES!!!!!!

$66 million in aid to Mexico???

This is absolute insanity on the part of our (so called) U.S. leaders! Isn't it shameful enough that BILLIONS of illegally earned US dollars are already flowing back to Mexico? Isn't shameful enough that BILLIONS of US taxpayer dollars are being used to subsidize these same illegal earners?

Apparently not... as our (so-called) leaders feel the need to put a nice cherry on top!

$66 million to AID and ABET Mexico is more like it!!!!!

Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C who is this masked man ?? sounds like he is going the right way.

They should be givng us money for taking care of their citizens. I hope they do block the aid.

I didn't want to brag, but Patrick McHenry is my rep., and he is a good one. He is very young and very conservative, first term congressman. All indications are he is sympathetic to our cause. I plan to make sure he stays that way.

ScareCrow--what city is McHenry from? Great to know he is in our Congress, but I am such hard-liner, I would say CUT OFF THEIR AID REGARDLESS!! AND, $66 million does not fit with another post sometime back. That post said $15 BILLION???

So, we have a discrepancy.....perhaps the other is El Presidio descretionary funds?

I'm going to search and see if I can find that post.

Does anyone else remember it??

Oh, by the way, how do you charge someone with Attempted First Degree Murder (premeditated murder) when the victim DIED?

I understand the problem of the district attorney, but shouldn't he have just gone for First Degree Murder and not asked for the Death Penalty and kept him for life with the possibility of parole after 96 years?

MEX SUX!

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

I didn't want to brag, but Patrick McHenry is my rep., and he is a good one. He is very young and very conservative, first term congressman. All indications are he is sympathetic to our cause. I plan to make sure he stays that way.

Sounds good Scarecrow.

whay area is he from ?