Thread: Why was Swift targeted? READ THIS!

One question everyone seems to be asking in the aftermath of the Swift raids is, "why was Swift targeted"? With all the "big business" entities taking full advantage of all the cheap illegal alien labor our goverment has allowed to flow into the U.S. unchecked, why didn't ICE pick on (no pun intended) Tyson Foods, Toll Brothers Luxury Homes, or the Hilton, Marriott, Holiday Inn hotel chains?

So why does G.W. Bush have such a cozy connection with the "victim"?.

Unless, of course, it benefits both.........--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Swift and Company is owned by Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furstand Booth Creek Management Corporation according to its website.

some general info about Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst
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Hicks, Muse, et al AKA HMTF, HM Capital is headquartered in ...... (surprise) Dallas, Texas.

A Senior Advisor is: The Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, who is, also, associated with Barrick Gold, Poppy's gold mining friend (see Palast: Poppy Strikes Gold)

HM Capital is similar to the Carlyle Group and the Blackstone Group being a private equity investment entity with little to no transparency in 'investors' or other information public trading companies files with the Securities & Exchange Commission.


"A son of a radio station owner, Tom Hicks became interested in leveraged buyouts as a member of First National Bank's venture capital group. Hicks and Robert Haas formed Hicks & Haas in 1984; the next year that firm bought Hicks Communications, a radio outfit run by Hicks' brother Steven. (This would be the first of many media companies bought or created by the buyout firm, often with Steven Hicks' involvement.)" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hicks,_Muse,_Tate_&_Furst

Thomas "Tom" Hicks (born 1946) is a Dallas businessman who owns and operates Southwest Sports Group, the company that owns the Texas Rangers (whom Hicks purchased from an investment group that included then-Texas Governor George W. Bush), the Dallas Stars and the Mesquite Championship Rodeo. Hicks previously co-founded the investment firm, Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst in the late 1980s, but announced that he would leave the firm on March 8, 2004 to spend more time with his family and his sports teams, and then he took it back, which created quite a controversy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Hicks


"Conveniently for both men, Bush appointed Hicks as the first chair to UTIMCO, which began the tradition of tit-for-tat management and good-ol' boy favoritism that has defined the relationship between UTIMCO and Texas politics since. In 1998, Hicks would make Bush a multi-millionaire by purchasing the Texas Rangers. In addition, Hicks' company, Hicks, Muse, Tate, & Furst, Inc., is now Bush's number 4 career patron. The company is still donating to the GOP; Rick Perry has received $283,481 from Hicks Muse, with another $176,500 coming from Charles Tate . Hicks's brother Steven has also thrown in $138,516."
http://www.utwatch.org/utimco/hicks.html
http://www.tpj.org/pioneers/r_hicks.html

Swift Company Ownership
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In September 2002, Swift & Company was created when Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Incorporated (“HMTF”) and Booth Creek Management Corporation acquired majority interest in the fresh beef and pork processing business of ConAgra Foods, Inc. The ownership group purchased the balance of ConAgra Foods’ interest in Swift & Company in September 2004.

The deal makes Swift & Company the second-largest processor of both beef and pork in the world, and the leading Australian beef processor.

http://www.swiftbrands.com/about/ownership.php


Internet search of Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst SourceWatch:

-Furst is a Trustee at the Aspen Institute.

-Kissinger was named European adviser to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, the latest Washington power broker to join a major U.S. private equity firm (May 31, 2002).


Earning info from Press Release
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SWIFT & COMPANY REPORTS FIRST-QUARTER FINANCIAL RESULTS
(note: EBITDA = Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization)

Net Sales Up 8 Percent to $2.6 Billion, EBITDA Up 84 Percent to $53 Million
On Strength of Beef Segment

GREELEY, COLO., October 3, 2006 – Swift & Company, the world’s second-largest processor of fresh beef and pork products, today reported net sales of $2.59 billion for its fiscal first quarter ended August 27, 2006, up 7.7 percent from net sales of $2.40 billion in the comparable prior-year period. The Company’s net sales increase reflects an 11.6 percent net sales gain in Swift Beef, a 4.5 percent net sales increase in Swift Pork, and a 0.6 percent net sales decline in Swift Australia. Swift Australia net sales were adversely affected by a 1.2 percent decrease in the Australian dollar to US dollar exchange rate compared to the prior-year period.

http://www.swiftbrands.com/media/releas ... 1_Press_...


Board of Directors
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Joe Colonnetta

Joe Colonnetta Jr. became a director of Swift Operating in September 2002 and also is a director of Swift Holdings. He has been a partner at Hicks Muse since December 2002 and previously was a principal at Hicks Muse from January 1998 to December 2002. From September 1994 to January 1998, he was a partner with Resource Management Partners (RMP), a management partner to institutional and private equity firms investing in food and consumer related portfolio companies, where he served as interim Vice Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at various times. From January 1992 to September 1994, he was the Chief Financial Officer of The Restaurant Company, the operator of the Perkins Restaurant and Bakery chain. He also serves as a director of Swift Foods Company, Cooperative Computing, Inc., Home Interiors & Gifts, Inc., Safeguard Systems, Minsa Mexico (an agri-business), Veltri Metal Products and Zilog, Inc.

George Gillett Jr.

George N. Gillett Jr. became Chairman of the Board and a director of Swift Operating in September 2002. He is Chairman of the Board and President of Booth Creek Management Corp., a company with investments in a wide variety of businesses, since founding the Company in 1996. He also is Chairman of Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Inc. since its formation in October 1996 and Chief Executive Officer since February 1997. From August 1994 to July 2001, he served as Chairman of Packerland Packing Company, Inc., a meat packing company. From January 1997 to February 2000, he served as Chairman of Corporate Brand Foods America, Inc., a processor and marketer of meat and poultry products, which was acquired by IBP, Inc.

more: "Gillett currently serves as chairman of Booth Creek Management Corp. and managing partner of the Gillett Family Partnerships, which control or have investments in a variety of businesses: the Montreal Canadiens and the Molson Centre; Northland Services, Inc., a marine transportation company; Great Northern Bark Company, a manufacturer of lawn and garden products; and the recreation/leisure group, which includes Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Inc., Grand Targhee Ski and Summer Resort, and numerous golf courses."
http://www.habsworld.net/GeorgeGillett.php

wiki info on Gillette - http://tinyurl.com/u5aml
preview TinyURL: http://preview.tinyurl.com/u5aml
<edit to fix this link>

Edward Herring

Edward Herring became a director of Swift Operating in May 2005. He is a Principal of Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, Incorporated. He joined HMTF in 1998 and has been involved in a variety of investment transactions spanning multiple industry sectors. Most recently, he has been instrumental in the development and execution of the firm's energy and food sector investment initiatives. In the energy sector, he was extensively involved in the firm's investment in Triton Energy and, most recently, the acquisitions of BlackBrush Oil & Gas, Inc. and Regency Gas Services LLC. Similarly, he has played an active role in execution and oversight of the Firm's investment in Swift & Company in 2002. In 2000, he led the structuring and execution of the recapitalization process for Viasystems, the Firm's electronics contract manufacturing platform. He also serves as a director for Regency Gas Services LLC and BlackBrush Oil & Gas, Inc. Prior to joining HMTF, he was an investment banker with Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Mike Kelly

Michael D. Kelly became a director of Swift Operating in April 2003. He served as the Executive Vice President, Marketing of The Restaurant Company, the operator of the Perkins Restaurant and Bakery chain from February 1993 until February 2003.

Kate Lavelle

Kate S. Lavelle became a director of Swift Operating in December 2004. She recently became the Chief Financial Officer of Dunkin Brands, Inc. Previously, she was Global Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of LSG Sky Chefs. From 1987 to 1998, she was employed at Arthur Andersen, LLP.

John Muse

John R. Muse became a director of Swift Operating in September 2002 and is also a director of Swift Holdings. He has been a partner and member of the management committee of Hicks Muse since co-founding the firm in 1989. Prior to forming Hicks Muse in 1989, he headed the merchant / investment banking operations of Prudential Securities in the Southwestern region of the United States. He also serves as a director of Swift Foods Company, Dean Foods Company, Arena Brands Holding Corp., Burtons Foods, Eurotax / Glass, Media Capital, Pinnacle Foods, Premier International Foods Plc and Yell.

Sam Rovit

Sam Rovit was named president and chief executive officer of Swift & Company in May 2005. He became a director of Swift Operating and Swift Holdings in July 2005. Prior to joining Swift, he headed the global mergers and acquisitions practice for Bain & Company, leading strategy consultants. He is a leading expert in food industry value-creation strategies, and has provided counsel to many of the largest companies in the food industry.

http://www.swiftbrands.com/about/bod.php


HM Capital Realized Investments
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The Morningstar Group, Inc.
Dairy & non-dairy food products

Hat Brands
Western headwear and accessories

G. Heilman Brewing Co.
Alcoholic beverage

Heritage Brands, Inc.
Branded food products

Ghirardeli Chocolate Co.
Retailer & manufacturer of premium chocolates

International Home Foods
Branded food products

G.H. Mumm/Perrier Jouët
Alcoholic beverages

Premier International Foods
UK branded food products

Pinnacle Foods Corporation
Branded food products

Chancellor Media Corporation
Radio stations

Capstar Communications
Radio stations

Clear Channel
Radio stations/television stations/
outdoor advertising

Marcus Cable Company, L.P.
Cable television

Mandeville Cable Argentina
Cable television

American Tower
Towers

Yell/McLeod Directories
UK & US yellow pages

Niche
Manufacturing

Wirekraft/Burcliff Industries
Insulated wire

Jackson Products
Safety products

Berg Electronics
Electronic connectors

Crain Industries
Foam insulation

International Wire Group
Insulated & barb wire

Atrium Corporation
Building products

Vidrio Formas
Specialty bottles

Microtune, Inc.
Digital tuners

Courtesy Corporation
Plastic enclosures

Life Partners Group, Inc.
Life Insurance

Neodata Corporation
Magazine fulfillment

Seguros Comercial America
Property & casulty insurance

CorpGroup (Cayman) Limited
Retail banking

Trident NGL, Inc.
Natural gas liquids processor

riton Energy Ltd.
Oil & natural gas producer

http://www.hmcapital.com/firm.html

Wait a minute... You're going to have to explain the premise to me. Is it your contention that Swift was targeted because it's owned by Tom Hicks, who is an acquaintance of Bush? How does that work? If the premise is that Bush and Hicks are cozy, why would one of his holdings be targeted for enforcement? Clarification, please.

I agree with Crocket's Ghost. I need better explanation please. Is it possibly due to the size of the company and the competition ratted them out?

EXCELLENT AND WELL RESEARCHED!

The point here is folks, that Bush is starting to get resistance all across the board, and, that ICE has it's own ideas about enforcement.

Did it ever occur to any of you that ICE is sick and tired of "politics as usual", and has finally decided to "bite the hand that feeds" because it is the same hand that has constrained and punished it for trying to do the job of enforcing immigration law during almost two decades of Republican inattention and favoritism?

Realize too that the combination of U.S. Customs, Homeland Security, and Immigration and Naturalization into ICE left a lot of BAD BLOOD with career agents throughout the system!

Now put one and one together, and you get the SWIFT (pun intended) raid!

Originally Posted by ThomasMoore

EXCELLENT AND WELL RESEARCHED!

The point here is folks, that Bush is starting to get resistance all across the board, and, that ICE has it's own ideas about enforcement.

Did it ever occur to any of you that ICE is sick and tired of "politics as usual", and has finally decided to "bite the hand that feeds" because it is the same hand that has constrained and punished it for trying to do the job of enforcing immigration law during almost two decades of Republican inattention and favoritism?

Realize too that the combination of U.S. Customs, Homeland Security, and Immigration and Naturalization into ICE left a lot of BAD BLOOD with career agents throughout the system!

Now put one and one together, and you get the SWIFT (pun intended) raid!

Seems a stretch. I mean, your hypothesis may have some validity, but I would have to see some evidence beyond unsupported speculation. The article does not appear to imply what you are implying.

Sorry folks, I'm not trying to be difficult but I prefer to separate fact from innuendo.

I am starting to think these Swift Raids are a set-up to push Amnesty early next year.

I also think that Swift had not counted on its former employees to sue them for hiring Illegal Aliens.

All over the country there of picture of Illegal Aliens in the newspapers holding their prayer vigils, along with thier children with signs that say do not deport my parents at Christmas.

R/ Skip



From the President

December 20, 2006

I strongly believe that we can, and must, get a comprehensive immigration plan on my desk this year. It's important for us because, in order to enforce our border, in order for those Border Patrol agents who we've increased down there and given them more equipment and better border security, they've got to have help and a plan that says, if you're coming into America to do a job, you can come legally for a temporary basis to do so. [There's nothing 'temporary' about Bush's destructive scheme.]

I don't know if you've paid attention to the enforcement measures that were taken recently where in some of these packing plants they found people working that had been here illegally, but all of them had documents that said they were here legally -- they were using forged documents, which just reminded me that the system we have in place has caused people to rely upon smugglers and forgers in order to do work Americans aren't doing. [Bush acts like invaders are doing us a favor while at the same time continuing to insult American workers.]

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases ... 220-1.html

Seems a stretch. I mean, your hypothesis may have some validity, but I would have to see some evidence beyond unsupported speculation. The article does not appear to imply what you are implying.

Sorry folks, I'm not trying to be difficult but I prefer to separate fact from innuendo.

You need to speak privately with former and current Customs Agents; no conjecture here my friend---straight from the horse's mouth.......think what you will---it's as sound an argument as you will get!

Originally Posted by ThomasMoore

Seems a stretch. I mean, your hypothesis may have some validity, but I would have to see some evidence beyond unsupported speculation. The article does not appear to imply what you are implying.

Sorry folks, I'm not trying to be difficult but I prefer to separate fact from innuendo.

You need to speak privately with former and current Customs Agents; no conjecture here my friend---straight from the horse's mouth.......think what you will---it's as sound an argument as you will get!

Individual rank and file agents do not plan and execute operations such as this one, my friend. Raids like this are ordained from on high.

It would be great if ICE did the raids on its own initiative. However, I would think this is very unlikely since Julie Myers was a political appointment. I agree that career people are probably frustrated by having their hands tied...but they don't have the power to do anything without Myers say-so--and she probably reports to the head of DHS.

Also, this was a "headline" raid. To my knowledge there are no ongoing raids.

They need to show they are doing something to satisfy critics. Even during prohibition, the paid off cops from time to time did raids to keep up appearances.

Also, such raids had a "behind the scenes reason." The motive may be quite different from what it first seems to be.

When this type of raid occurs daily for months, then we know there is real enforcement going on.

Thanks for sharing your research greyparrot!

Individual rank and file agents do not plan and execute operations such as this one, my friend. Raids like this are ordained from on high.

Hmm--I don't remember claiming individuals---rather, after enough BS (two decades worth), and much needed citizen support, in addition to political will, momentum gathers, and decision-makers at the top are then forced to implement a policy counter to their true objectives?

Start using some thought processes--- if you think everything is black and white, printed for public consumption, and set in stone for you to evaluate as "truth", it's time that you participated in some discourse of intelligence.