Yesterday, I wrote about the Border Patrol agents who are serving time in jail for shooting a drug smuggler in the butt. They were convicted by a jury and sentenced by a judge. That is the system and we accept it.
Scooter Libby was convicted and sentenced in the same manner. That is the system but President Bush doesn't accept it.
The right for a president to commute or pardon is an act of clemency. There are no rules that limit this practice. It allows the president to act with compassion. For many months, there has been a large group who have asked President Bush to act with the same compassion that he used in freeing Libby.
I would like to keep this issue before you the reader. Let me provide you with more detail so that you can decide for yourself whether these men should receive at least the same treatment that has been accorded Libby.
They were sentenced to more than eleven years in prison and requested the right to stay free until their appeals have been completed. That request was denied. Here is the news item.
"A federal appeals court judge yesterday denied a motion by former U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean that they be released from prison pending appeals in their convictions for shooting a drug-smuggling suspect. Ramos, 37, and Compean, 28, were sentenced to 11- and 12-year prison terms for shooting Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila in the buttocks as he fled near Fabens, Texas, back into Mexico after abandoning 743 pounds of marijuana. Several members of Congress, led by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, California Republican, have called for President Bush to pardon the agents. Rep. Duncan Hunter, California Republican, said the assault on Ramos clearly demonstrates' the severe risk involved with incorporating Border Patrol agents into general prison populations."
Yesterday, the Washington Post carried the following comment:
Senator John Cornyn, Republican from Texas "became the first member of the Senate GOP leadership to make a statement on the matter, defending the action but using Libby's pardon to take up another cause celebre among conservatives -- the case of Border Patrol agents Ignacio "Nacho" Ramos and Jose "Alonso" Compean, who were sentenced to 11 and 12 years, respectively, for shooting a fleeing drug runner and then covering it up. This is the equivalent of saying thanks, Mr. President, but that's not good enough: "I hope he will give the same consideration to the cases of Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compeon."
"Privately, some GOP staff suggested that the Ramos-Compean issue, if cast alongside Libby's sentencing as an example of judicial overreach, could galvanize a conservative base that has grown somnolent from a divisive immigration fight last month. It would help, they said, if Bush also mounted a public battle in support of some of his stalled judicial nominees in the Senate."
Some of my more conservative colleagues have been eloquent in their defense of President Bush for saving Scooter Libby. They have taken the standard position of defending Bush by attacking Bill Clinton. I will not enter that debate. Instead, I ask that they look into this issue and explain why these men should not receive a full pardon.
Where is the outrage?
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. If they were law enforcement officials covering up a shooting, that's a lot different than Libby's obstruction of justice in a perjury case. Since the guy didn't die, maybe the sentence is a little harsh, but not by much.
Steve Bonomo at 12:10PM on Jul 4th 2007
2. It is funny how in the corporate world, machines take the place of humans for simple repetetive tasks such as rivetting etc. in lieu of spending payrole on these repetetive tasks, they make the one-time investment in technology.I do not understand how puting up a fence has unethical implications? these 12 million undocumented aliens will be 50 million in 10 years at the current rate.Allowing this to continue while the Democrats and republicans try to maintain the Latino vote is the unethical issue. Political posturing instead of doing what is right will lead this continue to ruin. lets vote Duncan in and let him finish the fence he started.
Stephan Andrew brodhead at 1:28PM on Jul 4th 2007
3. it is to bad that these border patrol agents did their job and no one in congress did anything. these agents did what we all felt it was in their job duties. but we all know bush will not grant them a pardon due to the fact like everything else, it will not help him in his quest for his immigration/amnesty bill. who did congress side with? the drug dealer/coyote runner. yes, this is what America has come to. and we are surprise that bush pulled a "we are the world" move? no! bush and company has always felt that they are above the law. remember he personnaly speaks to God. now that is a JOKE!!! self-RIGHTious aren't we?! more like self-serving!
iamchavira at 1:34PM on Jul 4th 2007
4. Just look at the list of people Bill Clinton had pardoned just hours before he left office in 2001.
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pardonchartlst.htm
Stuart at 2:20PM on Jul 4th 2007
5. Article 2 section 2 of the Constitution gives the underencumbered right to the President to pardon. If there was ever a case that called out for this act the border patrol agents case is it. This case was a matter of poilitical expediency gone amuck. We should have arrested the drug smuggler upon re-entry into the United States. It was unfortunate that this case happened during the illegal alien Amnesty Bill debate. For some reason we are attempting to show Mexico how safe it is for anyone to cross the border, even drug dealers. This has to stop....better a few injured lawbreakers than a nation without laws or borders. The key to this border situtation is to begin to crack down upon the corrupt Mexican government. That socialist state finds it easier to export its excess people than to import capitalist functionality into its society.
Bush and the recent holders of that office have done nothing to counter this invasion of our border. Two border guards it seems will have to pay the check for a national disgrace caused by our ineffective leadership. PARDON THEM NOW.
joem at 4:45PM on Jul 4th 2007
6. Free the Border Agents (commune) Close the borders, employ and excercise the presents laws.Now!!!!!!!!!!!
Sandra at 11:22PM on Jul 4th 2007
7. Although its possible that 11 and 12 years may be a little harsh for shooting someone in the posterior, I certainly DO think that prison time was in order for these agents. I watched the Glenn Beck show where he interviewed a prosecutor representing this case.
I was convinced - and did not expect to be, mind you - after that interview, that indeed, there had been a wrongful shooting by these two men and that the only injustice was, perhaps, that their superiors were not tried alongside them.
The point that stuck with me was that since there was no problem with reporting a good shooting, there was no reason to cover up the shooting unless something wrongful had happened. The coverup itself was evidence of the wrongdoing that preceeded it. Why coverup something unless you were worried it would look bad if you didn't? That convinced me that it was a bad shoot. However, I believe that everyone with guilty knowledge in that coverup, PARTICULARLY any supervisors involved, should have been tried as well.
Also, the sentences of both gentlemen seem harsh. Shooting someone in the butt shouldn't merit such a harsh sentence when it is obvious that Mr. Alrdrete-Davila has not suffered any lasting harm since he is up and running drugs into our country again. Speaking of which, why HASN'T Mr. Aldrete-Davila been arrested yet if he has been caught running drugs in our country yet AGAIN?
And Bush never should have pardoned Libby. Why even bother spending the taxpayers money in that long drawn out trial? What a slap in the face.
Sydney at 11:10AM on Jul 5th 2007
8. Do not hold your breath. Pardons will not be forthcoming for our betrayed heroes.
President Bush, and his friends in the liberal left, have clearly demonstrated that their goal is to eliminate the borders that seperate United States from Mexico and Canada. Pardons in this case would be a step in the opposite direction.
vegastracon at 4:43PM on Jul 5th 2007
9. Sad to say, this President has got "hispanidad" on the brain, with his poor "Texicano" Spanish, etc. The people of this country have every right to decide on the future of this Nation: will it continue to be a country of immigrants who regardless of ethnicity, race, and religion assimilate to an English-speaking country with all the successful values of the "Anglosphere": or a Latin-American country with all the dysfunctionalities of politicas, economy, and culture we see everywhere south of the border.
Christopher at 5:20PM on Jul 10th 2007
10. This is injustice in the greatest form. Is this what our wonderful country is all about?What can we the people do to change all this and get some control back???
Delores Jones at 5:15PM on Jul 11th 2007
11. Ramos and Compean are overdue for complete pardons.
Johnny Sutton should be investigated.
The government has already admitted that he lied about the agents.
Cactus Wren at 1:20AM on Oct 11th 2007