Thread: U.S. retracts statements that agents were out `to shoot Mexi

ALIPAC NOTE: This story just hit the wires about 15 mins ago! At the time of this post it is showing up with over 12 matches on the Google News Engine.

By tomorrow, Thursday, afternoon this will be in newspapers coast to coast and it is going to be political TNT!

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U.S. retracts statements that agents were out `to shoot Mexicans'

By Dave Montgomery
2/7/2006
McClatchy Newspapers

(MCT)

WASHINGTON - The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday apologetically retracted staff members' comments that two Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a Mexican drug smuggler had told investigators they intended "to shoot Mexicans."

The department's inspector general issued the retraction at a congressional hearing as the department released a previously sealed report into the conduct of the two agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.

Congressional pressure to remove the two agents from prison - either through presidential pardons or by releasing them on bail pending appeal - intensified Wednesday after reports that fellow inmates assaulted Ramos over the weekend.

The case has become a cause celebre among conservative groups, which contend that Ramos and Compean were railroaded by overzealous federal prosecutors who gave the drug smuggler immunity to testify against the two agents.

U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton of San Antonio has defended his handling of the case, saying the agents seriously overstepped their authority by attempting to cover up the shooting of the smuggler, Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, and destroying evidence. They began serving their sentences last month. Compean faces 12 years in prison, Ramos 11.

The Homeland Security Department, which includes the Border Patrol, released its inspector general's report after four Texas lawmakers demanded the document to compare it with information from a briefing that department staff members gave them in September.

The aides told the lawmakers that the two agents had admitted to investigators that they intended to "shoot Mexicans." But Inspector General Richard L. Skinner said under questioning by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, that the statements were erroneous, and he apologized.

The report also contradicted statements made in the briefing that the two men knew that Aldrete-Davila was unarmed and didn't pose a threat. The report contained a transcript of Compean's account to investigators, in which he said that he and Ramos were trying "to kill the alien" because they thought he had a gun.

McCaul described the errors as serious misrepresentations that painted a distorted picture of the case.

"My complaint here is that they weren't forthcoming with all the evidence," McCaul said.

Skinner told McCaul that his aides apparently misquoted a statement that the two agents were attempting "to shoot the alien" after they received a telephone briefing on the case from Texas. But he said that exchange had no bearing on the outcome of the criminal case and occurred after the trial in El Paso.

"It's innocent, unintentional," Skinner said, adding that he saw no need to punish his staff.

Several Republican lawmakers demanded that the two agents be separated from other inmates or be transferred to a low-security prison. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., also called for the dismissal of Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Harley Lappin if the inmates aren't protected.

Ramos is serving his sentence at a medium-security prison in Yazoo City, Miss., and Compean is imprisoned in Ohio. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., said Ramos' family told him that the agent's injuries are more severe than originally reported and include bleeding from an ear and possible signs of paralysis in his left arm. He said a nurse examined Ramos, but that he hasn't seen a doctor.

Reps. Walter Jones, R-N.C., and Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., blasted President Bush for not intervening in the case, with Rohrabacher hinting that he would consider pressing for impeachment if either of the two agents was killed in prison.

"The president has lost my respect because he will not step forward and do what's right," Jones said.

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/monte ... 646404.htm

W. wrote:

By tomorrow, Thursday, afternoon this will be in newspapers coast to coast and it is going to be political TNT!

.....and I hope the explosion rocks the very foundation of the white house......bringing the idiot that resides there out of his stupor and back to reality.............

Well, it served it's purpose. The agents are in jail, and the media is fixated on the lustful astronaut.

What better time to issue an "Oops, Sorry" statement?

Originally Posted by April

W. wrote:

By tomorrow, Thursday, afternoon this will be in newspapers coast to coast and it is going to be political TNT!

.....and I hope the explosion rocks the very foundation of the white house......bringing the idiot that resides there out of his stupor and back to reality.............

april my dear, back to reality???????
that jacka$$ would NOT KNOW REALITY if it hit him in the damn face

hes that stupid

WASHINGTON - The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday apologetically retracted staff members' comments that two Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a Mexican drug smuggler had told investigators they intended "to shoot Mexicans."

Apology, Sorry not enough, we want to see heads roll, and Ramos and Compean out of jail, and the rest of the crooks in jail!!!

U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton of San Antonio has defended his handling of the case,

So did the PA in the Duke Lacrosse Trial and now he is the one being investigated. He lied and suppressed evidence to get a conviction.

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BTT

The news that is breaking on this is horribly disturbing. I cannot believe somebody in our government went as far as making up these statements, and dropping charges on the drug dealer's second drug run into the US so he could still testify against the agents.

Bush is an idiot for not coming out tonight and making a public pardon ASAP. Today in a matter of minutes I have lost major confidence in my government's commitment to OUR country.

jamesw62 wrote:

april my dear, back to reality???????
that jacka$$ would NOT KNOW REALITY if it hit him in the damn face
hes that stupid