Border patrol says they’ve asked for a retraction
posted at 9:37 pm on May 10, 2006 by Allahpundit
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I can’t tell if this guy is (a) nervous, (b) not very good at reciting talking points from memory, (c) just “that way.” But something’s amiss. I suggest 2mg of Klonopin; it might not do him any good, but it’s guaranteed to finally get the lefties exercised about this story.
There’s a mini-scoop here, incidentally, although I don’t think O’Reilly realized it. Sara Carter, the reporter who broke the story about Border Patrol sharing info with the Mexican government, told Michelle late last night that BP hadn’t asked for a retraction. Griffen says here that they have. MM’s going to e-mail Carter and try to get the bottom of it.
(Photoshop by Bryan of Sanctuary.)
Note the end, where Griffen tries to chalk the whole mess up to standard protocol in reporting allegations of abuse by a foreign national to his native government. If that’s all there is to it, how come the Mexican government allegedly knows the whereabouts of Friends of the Border Patrol, which wasn’t involved in apprehending illegals? And as O’Reilly says, why is it that the head of the BP union has gone on record with complaints about the Mexican’s consulate’s influence over the agency?
For what little it’s worth, judging from my inbox, conservatives have never been as mad at Bush as they are right now.
Update: Turns out it’s not just my inbox. CNN has numbers.
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Okay, now I understand.
If this guy is representative of the Border Patrol’s “finest”, then I can see why the border is so porous.
“Mama says the border is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re gonna get….”
Run, Darryl, Run.
moc23 on May 10, 2006 at 10:00 PM
Either this guy is the world’s worst spin doctor or the Border Patrol set out their weakest lamb for sacrifice on the Alter of Bad Press. Sheesh…
Prophet on May 10, 2006 at 10:06 PM
The Animals have taken control of the farm. America’s new reality show, American Animal Farm.
WildBill on May 10, 2006 at 10:34 PM
I have to admit, watching that, I feel bad for the guy. Looks like he got thrown to the wolves to appear on O’Reilly. What’s his credentials anyway? And where did the site layout go!?
Vincenzo on May 10, 2006 at 11:24 PM
I’m not really noted for my left-wing pro-illegales views (I’d be just fine with minefields and automatic machine guns on the border), but in this case I think a lot of people are overreacting. I tried to leave a long excerpt from Papa Ray’s thoughts on the matter in a comment on an earlier post but I botched the formatting. Since that didn’t work out, I hope a lot of people will clickhere and scroll down a little to read what he has to say. Papa Ray lives almost on the border himself and recently returned from visiting a rancher friend whose land borders Mexico. He’s also a member of the Texas Minuteman branch. Not exactly a disinterested bystander; if he says this is being blown out of proportion then maybe it is.
bdfaith on May 11, 2006 at 12:28 AM
There’s always been a striking gap between administration-approved BP leaders and the rank and file. The BP higher-ups condemn the Minutemen and kvetch publicly about how they just get in the way; the rank and file say they’re thrilled for the much-needed support. Likewise here; I’m sure no one can speak for BP to the press without being in the former camp.
Alex K on May 11, 2006 at 1:59 AM
Sarah Carter has a follow-up piece here.
bdfaith on May 11, 2006 at 3:04 AM
Griffen was absolutely the worst person to go on a show with 2,000,000 viewers to defend the Border Patrol. His interview will probably be used by PR firms all over the world as a perfect example of what you Don’t want to happen in the middle of a public relations nightmare such as the one the Border Patrol seems to be currently in the midst of.
Are Conservatives upset with Bush? You betcha! Will this anger translate into support for Dhemmies?
Don’t bet on it.
mike duron on May 11, 2006 at 5:13 AM
Agreed. This poor guy was a horrible representative of the Border Patrol. I too feel sorry for him, though, at the risk of sounding crass, He seemed to be both limp wristed and limp minded.
Gotta wonder what is up with them sending him to do verbal battle with O’Reilly. Sacrificial lamb just doesn’t make any sense at all to me. It is almost as if the BP WANTS to look bad.
LegendHasIt on May 11, 2006 at 6:02 AM
There’s an organization in the United States that’s been around for years that the border patrol could merge with, giving them instant credibility and improving their job performance:
The Welcome Wagon.
clyde on May 11, 2006 at 6:26 AM
How the hell do we allow Mexico intel on where the minutemen are? Maybe DHS should offer equal time and office space to OSSama Bin Laden in fairness.
As i have read a summary of the Consular protocol, we are going overboard in telling mexico anything, politically correct. And in a side light, our man in Mexico City is married to the richest woman in Mexico, strange bedfellows.
jgm666u on May 11, 2006 at 6:35 AM
?MAD?
Mad? Did you say MAD? ABout putting American Citizens lives at risk? Why would I be MAD?
Reality Check on May 11, 2006 at 7:57 AM
Saw this last night and really felt bad for this guy. Bill could have shredded him and he wouldn’t have known what hit him. The guy was just too dim to spin effectively.
The interview with Frist was much better. Little by little it looks like the senate can hear the roiling thunder.
Every “survey” or monetary solicitation I receive from a political action committee that comes to me with a return envelop now gets returned with a letter stating that if we don’t get a wall erected to stop the invasion followed by a round up, followed by severe penalities for employers – they, whoever they may be, can forget about my vote and my support.
I may start taping those prepaid envelops to a brick and instructing the recipient to use it to build a wall. Wonder what the weight of a brick would do for their postage costs?
MikeG on May 11, 2006 at 8:17 AM
Good lord, this…I don’t even know what to call this?
Brian on May 11, 2006 at 9:29 AM
I don’t know. From what I saw last night when O’Reilly interviews Chief Griffen, I really do not believe the chief.
Griffen HAS to do PR work (or is it PC work?)to cover the the BP and DHS high ranking officials. He was just too nervous and too eager to bring his point across.
Read this quote I pasted from what Michelle posted on her other site: “the U.S. Border Patrol is to notify the Mexican government as to the location of Minutemen and other civilian border patrol groups when they participate in apprehending illegal immigrants — and if and when violence is used against border crossers.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman confirmed the notification process, describing it as a standard procedure meant to reassure the Mexican government that migrants’ rights are being observed.
“It’s not a secret where the Minuteman volunteers are going to be,” Mario Martinez said Monday.”
Now, a CBP spokesman confirmed this assistance.
Martinez says that it is not a secret where the Minutemen are going to be. Well, what I want to know is…IF IT IS NO SECRET WHERE THE MINUTEMEN ARE GOING TO BE, THEN WHY IN FLAMING HELL IS INFO BEING SUPPLIED TO THE MEXICAN GOVT?????
Unless I am missing something, there is something deadly wrong here. The Mexican govt is up to something and, for the most part, OUR govt is willfully helping them.
GOD HELP THE PEOPLE LIVING ALONG THE BORDER.
The False Dervish on May 11, 2006 at 9:58 AM
OOOPS!! Sorry, Michelle! I misplaced the quotation marks, I think!
The False Dervish on May 11, 2006 at 9:59 AM
Am I the only one who thought there was an uncanny resemblence between this spokesman and “Bagdad Bob,” Saddam’s PR guy at the end of the war?
mkstach on May 11, 2006 at 10:02 AM
I agree. Seal the borders now, or at this point let the Dems take both houses and see how Carl Rove and President Bush like it when the American people prove we won’t put up with a an open borders policy! Caving into people who cannot vote while telling the rest of America you are all racist for denying these people their human rights to come here illegally? Welcome to the New Republican Party!
jasoneverts on May 11, 2006 at 10:17 AM
This is outrageous. The RNC will not get another dime from me until the border is secured and the rats at Border Patrol are cleaned out.
I don’t have to vote Democrat. I just need to head to the golf course instead of voting.
MCPO Airdale on May 11, 2006 at 10:28 AM
BTW- Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, AZ is being featured more and more in the news, especially concerning his 100% enforcement of the new AZ law that permits him to arrest all those concerned with illegal alienism to be locked up and wear fashionable pink underwear for up to 3 years.
Now, of course, Sheriff Joe is under fire for the enforcement of that law. The govt of AZ says that is not what the law is intended for. WELL, THEN GOV…WHY DID YOU SIGN THE LEGISLATION???? WHAT THE FLAMING BLOODY HELL ARE YOU ALL COMPLAINING ABOUT???? YOU PASS A LAW THAT YOU DO NOT WANT ENFORCED? HAVE YOU ALL FORGOTTEN WHAT IS GOING ON ALONG THE BORDER??????
And some guy named Ytrualde (?) says that the sheriff should not be enforcing federal law and because of lack of federal training, that it could lead to racial profiling especially if someone is not carrying ID.
WHAT A BUNCH OF CRAP!
Fisrt, state and local governments cannot nullify federal laws, but they can expand upon federal laws unless such laws violate the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Therefore, unless the Constitution SPECIFICALLY says that immigration enforcement is the sole authority of the FEDERAL government, or the federal legistlature passes a law making immigration enforcement solely a federal activity, then the AZ state govt acted properly. If the states want to make it a violation of state law to be an illegal alien, then they can do so, and that means that if a state law is violated…THEN IT IS OK FOR STATE AND LOCAL POLICE AGENCIES TO ENFORCE THAT LAW!!!!! DUH!!! BESIDES, ENFORCEMENT OF LAW IS ENFORCEMENT OF LAW REGARDLESS OF FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL. THE RULES OF ENFORCEMENT AND PROCEDURE ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME!!! DOUBLE DUH!!!!
Secondly, if anyone is worried about being mistaken for an illegal alien because they are not carrying their ID, then the answer is quite simple…CARRY YOUR DAMN, FLAMING ID!!!! If illegal aliens go out of their way to obtain AND carry FALSE id, then MR. YTRUALDE, you and anyone else who shares your fears can certainly make the effort to CARRY YOUR LEGITIMATE ID!!!!!
Once again, anyone with legal training, please feel free to correct me.
The False Dervish on May 11, 2006 at 10:30 AM
Did this CBOP “spokesperson” even believe what he was saying? There were many times during this very short interview that it seemed he wasn’t certain what he was saying!
If the border is not protected, then we no longer have a country! The whose issue of the Minutemen is a red herring. They only report presence of illegals to the CBP and do not retain them! However, the government of Mexico has no business interferring with any activities on our side of the border!
DougW on May 11, 2006 at 11:00 AM
At the very end of the WaPo article in the “not just my inbox” link above, Karl Rove prommises a “summer offensive” to regain conservative support.
We don’t need a summer offensive of political spin.
We don’t need new legislation.
We don’t need subversion of the Minuteman effort.
We just need full enforcement of existing law.
We need the President to do his job.
Got it, Karl?
dman on May 11, 2006 at 11:10 AM
(Sorry for the typo in “promises” above.)
dman on May 11, 2006 at 11:11 AM
Maybe if we get enough minutemen along the border our goverment can just report to the Mexicans that the entire border is being monitored.
Or maybe we should just tell them that now and see if it has any deterrent!
Gooch on May 11, 2006 at 11:32 AM
The Vienna convention does not require we notify Mexico unless the person requests a consulate representative.
Does anyone actually believe uneducated Illegal Immigrants are screaming for their consulate representative the moment they are detained?
Why did the BP tell the Mexican Government all about the membership rosters in the USA?
The Minutemen are an unregulated militia, formed to defend the United States of America, against invasion, from a foreign government, Mexico.
Our President and Congress, have failed to provide for our common defense and to enforce our borders, as required by the US Constitution.
Any act of sharing information, about troop movements, logistics, planning, or operations, of the unorganized militia, with a foreign government, is high treason, punishable, in time of war, by death.
Does that about cover what is going on?
I am not an attorney but I think that is what has occurred in this situation.
Now is the time for good men to come to the aid of their country and Impeach the lying occupants in the White House and Congress.
ScottyDog on May 11, 2006 at 11:59 AM
Agree totally with Alex K.:
“There’s always been a striking gap between administration-approved BP leaders and the rank and file. The BP higher-ups condemn the Minutemen and kvetch publicly about how they just get in the way; the rank and file say they’re thrilled for the much-needed support.”
We have a close family member (let me leave it there) who is a very active “rank and file” BP agent. He routinely catches 10-30 illegals at a time and has a significant drug-bust record. He loves the Minutemen organization and is grateful for all the help they can get. His major gripe is what happens after the illegals are brought in and processed. After a brief detention, most are given a hearing date and then released by the court, never to be seen again.
It’s not that most of the field agents are not doing their job. They are. It’s a dangerous and thankless task that is, for the most part, a waste of their time and our tax dollars. The system is broken at the judicial and detention level. It wouldn’t matter if the BP captured 100% of the illegals. Given the system in place, we would have exactly what we have now.
There are some very fine people at the supervisory and administrative levels, but there are many incompetents also, petty bureaucrats treading water until they retire.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, AZ, gets my vote to be the one to fix the system. Maybe a President Tom Tancredo would appoint him to the task.
JodyBlonde on May 11, 2006 at 12:16 PM
To extract a line from speech of cartooned El Presidente in “Our First Mexican President.”
“….Folks, you know how I feel about vigilantes and Minutemen. We don’t want outlaws calling this a national emergency….”
gringoman on May 11, 2006 at 1:51 PM
this guy does look like an Iraqi spokesman………lol
LZVandy on May 11, 2006 at 3:26 PM
Whatever happened to ‘Baghdad Bob’, anyway?
dman on May 11, 2006 at 3:36 PM
Yes Baghbad Jose speaks while the coyotes drive behind him with their chevy trucks loaded with illegals and his pockets are full of pesos from the Mexican government.
gary on May 11, 2006 at 8:12 PM
Bagdad Jose is missing some consonants. He’s got the vowels down OK, but the consonants are troubling him a bit.
Must be from communicating in Mexican/Spanish all day long.
Yes, quite a showing from the BP.
shooter on May 11, 2006 at 11:10 PM
I haven’t been so POed at the Republican Party since I joined in the late 90s. I gave (for me) a lot of money for the 2004 campaign, and a little bit regularly since then. But not lately, now nothing until they get serious about defending the future of this great country and BUILD A FREAKIN’ WALL. The Dems can’t do any worse on the border (since no one’s doing anything now!)
gmoonster on May 12, 2006 at 1:33 AM
G Moonster:
Same here, I’m ticked. Funny thing, Jim Robinson over at the FR said this was a false story and he apparently never changed his mind on that one.
But yes, this story is very serious. I can’t help but wonder of the possibility of other Gov’ts getting the same access to information like this.
What happens if these people, U.S. citizens, wanted to travel to Mexico or abroad for business or pleasure. Further, what would happen if the privileged Gov’t was one other than Mexico, say Egypt or Turkey.
Anecdote:
******************
Mission: Protect Egyptian Illegals
>Customs/Border Agent: “Here are 500 names of “trouble making” Americans. They don’t favor Muslims.”
>Customs/Border Agent: “Pardon”, “you want their addresses? – No Problem. And we also have their phone numbers”.
******************
This is trouble for America and Americans. Why can’t the Gov’t just do the right thing?
ar_basin on May 12, 2006 at 12:32 PM
JodyBlonde
You are absolutely correct about the Border Patrol. Most of the rank and file are great folks but the Supervisors, for the most part, are Traitors and Political hacks.
Congress has allowed these criminal invaders to have the right to a hearing which is just another guaranteed income flow for immigration lawyers and Judges.
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)is the responsible agency for allowing the criminals the right for a hearing.
Ask your family member what happened to the policy of the one way bus ticket approach. IMHO it should be the only alternative for captured Illegals.
Back in the 70’s, the INS used to do sweeps in So California and sent all the Mexicans without documentation back to the border of Mexico in a green INS school bus.
It worked.
For anyone interested, follow this link to learn more about the EOIR:
http://www.vdare.com/mann/missing_link.htm
ScottyDog on May 13, 2006 at 3:55 PM
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