Video: Tancredo calls on Bush to pardon convicted Border Patrol agents; Update: Patterico defends prosecution
posted at 9:34 pm on January 17, 2007 by Allahpundit
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He’ll do it, too. He’ll sign the pardons on the very same day that he signs the Comprehensive Amnesty Act of 2007. That’ll be the spoonful of sugar fed to chumps like you and me to make the medicine go down a bit smoother.
The agents turned themselves in today to begin serving their prison sentences. The case has drawn enough heat that the U.S. Attorney who convicted them prepared a fact sheet reciting, and then debunking, the various myths surrounding it. That won’t satisfy everyone, but I found it useful.
O’Reilly also pressed Tanc on his presidential bid. An early frontrunner to be his veep: the little man who lives in his brain and whispers to him about the North American Union.
Update: Antagonized by Hot Air commenters, Patterico reads the fact sheet and wants to know: what’s the big deal?
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Next time a border agent feels threatened with an illegal alien, maybe *only* shooting him in the arse is the wrong thing to do. It seems our US society is in favor of cutting deals with illegal alien drug smugglers to go after our own. That is disgusting no matter which way you slice it…total immunity? Are we retarded?
To see these guys get 10 years while child molesters go free with probation or time served makes me ill. It seems to me the punishment MUST fit the crime assuming there was one and 10 years is absolutely outrageous. I hope Bush ends up pardoning them in the future before he leaves office.
Oh and just because the US attorney says something is true or takes something to court or presses charges, doesn’t mean jack.
Highrise on January 18, 2007 at 2:41 PM
Uh, except that you forget that a number of facts were kept out of the trial, like they couldn’t claim that POS was running drugs in the trial. Why couldn’t they? Because it was their word verus his. Since he wasn’t convicted or even charged with running drugs that defense was off the table.
I have problems with the claim he had his hands up and was surrendering. If this was the case, why did he continue over the border. If someone was trying to surrender and was shot, he definitely wouldn’t decide flee.
Finally, I can’t understand why we don’t shoot or treat these people rougher. Mexico abuses Guatemalan immigrants on a regular basis.
At the same time, we are putting money into Mexico securing it’s borders: Washington Times
Tim Burton on January 18, 2007 at 3:09 PM
That is another point I am shocked. The Prosecutor claimed there was no proof of his running the drugs, then why give total immunity?
Tim Burton on January 18, 2007 at 3:11 PM
See my above point. If there was no evidence, why give the guy total immunity?
Tim Burton on January 18, 2007 at 3:13 PM
I almost forgot, the government has a proud and growing tendency to reward Mexican criminals.
Rancher Whose Family Ranch Was Seized And Turned Over to Illegal Immigrants Whom He Allegedly Beat
How To Be An Illegal Immigrant And Win A Ranch By Judicial Fiat
Tim Burton on January 18, 2007 at 3:16 PM
Hidden behind all this talk of border security and illegal aliens entering via Mexico is another frightening debate which seems to be getting no attention. There’s a real possibility that Bush will grant refugee status to hundreds of thousands of Iraqis wanting to flee to the United States.
Currently in Iraq, our forces are battling with the inability to distinguish between good Iraqi cops and bad Iraqi cops, good Iraqi citizens and bad Iraqi citizens, and good Iraqi diplomats and bad Iraqi diplomats. As if we don’t have enough trouble dealing with these issues in Iraq, we’re now going to import the problem to our own country?
Gregor on January 18, 2007 at 3:23 PM
This whole thing w/ the border guards stinks. They screwed up , somehow..the guards did something illegal while catching this illegal alien with almost half a ton of pot. AN ILLEGAL ALIEN W/ that much dope and he doesn’t have a gun???? sure.
If thats the case, there must be hundreds of drug robbers on the border today.
They tried to cover something up, and our left leaning legal system saw an opportunity to make a huge political point out of this.
I DO NOT trust the US attorneys office. I trust the illegal drug pusher EVEN LESS.
There is something VERY wrong with this entire frickin event(s), and its an embarrassment to many, it got BURIED.
Sad day indeed when you don’t have anyone you can believe in a court case like this.
shooter on January 18, 2007 at 4:22 PM
Why in the world would Bush pardon these guys? They shot one of his favorite buddies, an illegal Mexican. We have been sold out by this fool.
By the way the Mexican has no rights, he’s fricking illegal! Clear message from the traitors in DOJ.
Timber Wolf on January 18, 2007 at 4:31 PM
It doesn’t really matter how you look at this event. Even if you assume the border agents acted improperly … the actions by our Government on the matter make no sense, unless you accept the over-all agenda which so many want to dismiss as conspiracy theory.
Even if you were to believe the cops shot this guy ‘just for fun’… it still wouldn’t make sense. It wouldn’t make sense that officials would actually send an agent into Mexico to locate a person who illegally crossed our border for the purpose of selling drugs … for no other reason than to offer him full immunity for testifying against the men who shot him. And EVEN if you were to assume that’s exactly what happened … the sentences given to these guys is incredibly harsh. Eleven years? For shooting an illegal drug dealer in the a$$? And the guy is still alive? No murder? Eleven years for “violating department procedure?”
It becomes even more absurd when you look at the sentences (or lack of sentences) given to illegal aliens after they’re convicted of violent crimes. What an absolute joke.
Over and over we see posters write how Bush’s actions on immigration make no sense. We see posters who write that they just can’t understand what he’s thinking. They write how he must not be paying attention to the polls. They write how the GOP doesn’t seem to understand why they are losing.
At the same time, many of these same posters repeatedly bash the only explanation possible. As I’ve said on here repeatedly, you have to either believe Bush is a complete ignorant babbling fool, or that his actions are in defense of a specific agenda of open borders and partnership with Mexico.
The minute these people accept that possibility … everything suddenly makes sense. It explains his refusal to close the borders. It explains his refusal to fine businesses hiring illegals. It explains his entire amnesty plan as well as his insistence on LYING to the American people about what that plan consists of. It explains his refusal to punish Police Chiefs, Mayors, and Governors when they publicly refuse to enforce immigration laws. And it explains why the GOP willingly took themselves to defeat even knowing in advance what they needed to do to gain the votes to retain the majorities.
But it doesn’t matter. They ignore all the obvious evidence and instead go with the theory that …
Oh wait. They don’t have any other theory.
Bush is simply doing whatever it takes to continue his business partnership with Mexico. A Mexican illegal alien drug smuggler was shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent and it pissed off the Mexican Government, and Bush is satisfying his business partners.
Of course … you can always choose to go with the “Bush is an ignorant babbling fool” theory.
Gregor on January 18, 2007 at 5:00 PM
It’s all becoming quite clear to me. Here’s Bush in 1996 when he was governor of Texas:
So it turns out that Sutton was Bush’s Criminal Justice Policy Director during the time Bush made the indefensible statement that proved he is willingly or as a dupe serving the Mexican drug smugglers.
It looks like one of those Mexican Governors or officials that Bush is so close to was none to happy about losing 700 pounds of his product and demanded revenge against these agents. Border Agents who interfere with their enterprise will be purged from the service.
Perchant on January 18, 2007 at 5:12 PM
Anyone here ever see the movie China Syndrome?
I mention it because the way the security got by Jack Lemmon was to SCRAM him….create an emergency situation that kept him so busy turning it off they were able to overpower him.
Well folks as we continue to debate the invasion ad nauseum they are sitting back watching the North American Union take shape.
You are being SCRAMMED!!!
Mellen on January 18, 2007 at 5:18 PM
It actually wouldn’t even surprise me to learn that DEA sent the 700 lbs of “product” back to Mexico with an apology note.
Gregor on January 18, 2007 at 5:25 PM
Or even more likely …
They contacted another illegal drug dealer already in the country and had him come pick it up.
Gregor on January 18, 2007 at 5:32 PM
Even if the “fact sheet” is 100% true and accurate, it is a list of what is wrong with U.S. policy that allows them to be ensnared on technical grounds and not a very good moral explanation of why border patrol agents should go to jail for 10 years.
Resolute on January 18, 2007 at 8:48 PM
Here we go again. Deja vu …
How many years will this agent get? How long until the Border Patrol is ordered to stop carrying loaded weapons.
Now’s the time to come out of that deep sleep your in people!
Gregor on January 18, 2007 at 9:17 PM
“Extremism in the defense of Liberty is no vice.” – Barry Goldwater
Note to el Presidente Calderon – When a lawbreaker fights with a lawman, getting shot and killed is a substantial possibility. Your amigo was on the wrong side of the border, and made one too many bad choices. It is not the lawman’s job to get killed by your illegal countrymen.
Freelancer on January 18, 2007 at 9:57 PM
Apparently since only the BP Agents and the drug smuggler know if the smuggler had a weapon or took shots at the agents our Homeland Security and Justice Depts decided to believe the drug smuggler.
Bush’s erasing of the border is nearly complete, he now has reason to take the Border Patrol’s bullets away so they can retreat before the Mexican Invasion like the Arizona National Guard.
Buzzy on January 19, 2007 at 3:28 AM
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