Bush's Last Day: A commutation to please the nativist wingnuts of the GOP
With a reeking pile of misery as his legacy already, George W. Bush gave a last finger to the rule of law and immigrant-rights groups -- and tossed a big bone to the mouth-foaming, immigrant-bashing nativists who have taken over the GOP -- on his way out the door today:
In his final acts of clemency, President George W. Bush on Monday commuted the prison sentences of two former U.S. Border Patrol agents whose convictions for shooting a Mexican drug dealer ignited fierce debate about illegal immigration.
Bush's decision to commute the sentences of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who tried to cover up the shooting, was welcomed by both Republican and Democratic members of Congress. They had long argued that the agents were merely doing their jobs, defending the American border against criminals. They also maintained that the more than 10-year prison sentences the pair was given were too harsh.
Apparently "just doing your job" is now the handy Conservative Get Out of Jail Free card. Certainly that's been Bush's justification for his own lawbreaking, and so it makes a certain sense that he would apply it now.
But there was never any excuse for these Border Patrol agents' behavior. They not only clearly abused their police powers, but committed even further crimes in trying to cover it up.
The most thorough evisceration of the Ramos/Compean martyr myth was Alex Koppelman's superb Salon piece of last year:
At trial in the federal courthouse in El Paso, Border Patrol agents from the Fabens station took the stand to testify against Ramos and Compean. Fellow agents, including one who had observed the shooting, contradicted Compean's story about where he was and how he was positioned when he fired his weapon. The agent who had helped Compean hide shell casings admitted it under oath. Prosecutors showed that Compean had repeatedly changed his story about the shooting and that it didn't match Ramos' account. They were also able to show that although Compean had discussed the shooting with other agents after it happened, it wasn't until his arrest that he began claiming that Aldrete-Davila had had a gun.
The prosecution's version of events was convincing enough for the jury, in March 2006, to find Ramos and Compean guilty of all but assault with intent to commit murder. Most media coverage of the case was local, and it comported with the jury's verdict: a bad shooting, a coverup and damning testimony from fellow agents that led to an uncontroversial conviction. Seven months later, a judge sentenced Ramos and Compean to 11 and 12 years in prison, respectively.
But by the time of their sentencing, the right wing had discovered the agents and begun constructing a new narrative. Ramos and Compean's newfound supporters soon settled on a radically different version of the shooting, cobbled together from speculation, rumors, misstatements of fact and various unproven assertions cherry-picked from the case the defense presented at trial.
As with nearly every myth emerging from the mists of Greater Wingnuttia, this one involved a familiar cast of media characters. Jerome Corsi of Swiftboating and "Obama Nation" infamy -- you know, the guy who never met a fact he couldn't falsify -- and Lou Dobbs played key roles in mainstreaming the Ramos/Compean story as a case of the Bush administration kowtowing to Mexican interests.
Then, of course, you had guys like Glenn Beck promoting the story as evidence of the return of the New World Order -- not to mention an opportunity to promote membership in the John Birch Society.
Incidentally, the White House is saying that these are the last pardons or commutations that Bush is planning. I guess this means that Politico list of 10 pardons to watch for -- which does include Ramos/Compean at No. 7 -- is probably defunct.
UPDATE: As one might guess, the Greater Wingnuttia is ecstatic. Check out the report from Neil Cavuto on Fox News:
This is especially precious for the exchange he has with the head of Mothers Against Illegal Aliens, who not only shares with us a paranoiac tale about how a burglary at Mrs. Ramos' home was actually a "hit" attempt, but seems to have managed to hang onto one of those bridesmaids outfits from the '70s, which is a rare feat.
Nuremberg Defense
Bush Legacy?
Oh shoot! I have been appalled by so much bush has done that I guess I'm all appalled out. Nothing he does surprises me and I just hope this is his last poop on our national carpet.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
"Incidentally, the White House is saying that these are the last pardons or commutations that Bush is planning..."
I think this means there are many more pardons to come in the next 22 hours. [My translation from: Bush Speak to English]
this man was walking to his helicopter with arm in air waving, when in rushed thirty FBI agents, who cuffed him and whisked him away.
If he has even the tiniest brain, he really should take this step.
He even farted loudly in a crowded room of dignitaries and wouldn't say, "Pardon me."
Apparently he thinks that's VERY funny. Didn't you read about his doing this around his staff and laughing at their embarrassment and discomfort?
He is so stupid.
Yeah, I remember. What a guy to look up to. NOT!
The man has not one ounce of class. Imagine what heads of other countries say behind his back.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Bush is an exhibitionist, in the same sleazy category as a flasher, doing something that shocks or makes people angry and LOVING their reactions. It's almost like a psychic attack on others that they can't defend against -- at least in Bush's case -- his transgressions with his staff were intentional and nobody could call him a jackass for doing it.
Anyway, another reason to heartily detest the cheerleader boy.
The Chimp is 62 going on 6.
Good riddance, Bush. Thanks for nuttin.'
He's like some crazy cousin at a family reunion. Everyone knows he has no manners, is rude and disrespectful and everyone can't wait until he goes home.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Actually, that's the most intelligent thing that has come out of him in 8 years.
So he invented the "smart fart"?
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Windy Bush
Texas BBQ will do that to ya.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
already pardons everyone (including Cheney/Bush) for any actions in regard to "harsh interrogation techniques etc.".
Or he did an Executive Signing Statement or an Executive Order.
John Amato should hit Glenn Greenwald up on this one for purposes of clarification.
"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn
Bush and Congress thumbed their nose at the Internation Criminal Court but there is the sticky problem that torture and war crimes are still on the books in the U.S. He obviously is going on the assumption that no one has the balls to enforce the law, which is a relatively safe bet although stranger things have happened.
I've read that many legal scholars do not believe that the part of this act which would send military troops to the Hague to rescue US personnel taken into custody is lawful at all. That was the same act that established procedures for stopping aid to countries that continued their support of the International Criminal Court.
Early on, Bush was desperately trying to save his ass.
Abbywood, I don't think the Act pardoned anyone, but just established an "invasion procedure" if he or his buddies ended up at the Hague.
Here's a pretty good report on it.
...even though it's largely off-topic, as an American Indian I find the term "immigrant-bashing nativists" funny as hell.
I understand. Although a white living (leasing) on a NSN we did adopt this graphic (at bottom) for our ham club page. The Tribal government where I live does so many things right, like health care, taking care of the old and trying to make sure the kids are alright. I don't directly get the benefits but I do benefit from living in a more enlightened community.
I believe if there are no more pardons on the horizon that means the " Fix " is in with the Obama Cabal giving assurances that they will only" look and move forward" and" not dwell on the past ".
massive pardons...WTF???
Hey, there's still several hours left.
100,000 dead Iraqis would like to tell you that they appreciate your not using their deaths as a reason for investigating potential war crimes by the previous administration.
But they can't.
Because they're dead.
you could have something there!
The Pesident of the United States does not have the legal authority to pardon violations of international law. He can only issue pardons for violations of domestic laws.
I wonder what a legal scholar would say about that. Practically speaking, though, how would a US citizen be prosecuted under international law if the US refused to comply? The UN isn't going to send in police and/or troops to nab the person, and if the person is nabbed while travelling abroad, and the US demands their release, it will spark an international incident which has to be settled via diplomacy (i.e. one side backs down).
Well, if Obama and Congress repeal the Military Commissions Act as he promised to do when campaigning, there won't be an international incident, except for maybe a lot of attention and a big sigh of relief. It really depends on how much Obama and Congress uphold the rule of law. We, the US, have an obligation to bring Bush et al to trial ourselves, without a doubt. Again, it depends on Obama and Congress.
It may take 20 years, but I have a feeling that Bush and cronies will face justice in the end.
(optimistically speaking) that's what Obama WANTS Bush to think. :P
Bush will amaze me one last time if he doesn't change Scooter's commutation of sentence to Full Pardon.
That's our George!
(wa wa waaaaaa)
Before enlightenment - chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment - chop wood, carry water.
So the rest of 'em have already been secretly done? Guess we'll find out when Team Obama starts digging into all those secret signing statements.
How the heck do you have a secret pardon? Either the person's in jail or not.
Oh I see, he's saying that the other pardons actually came first, but they just haven't been released yet. Possible, but I can't see why they would need that level of subterfuge: why not just sign the other pardons at midnight tonight, if you want to postpone them as long as possible? (Ooh, unless they were signed years ago in case Bush was impeached? Interesting thought....)
He'd pardon Hitler if he had the chance and it would please his base.
Is Bush done commuting and pardoning prisoners sentences?
OR will Bush relax by having a "beverages" this afternoon and........
BREAKING NEWS:
"GW Bush had just commuted and pardoned ALL prisoners in America's
prisons."
We aren't safe from him until he is no longer President. Period.
sorry, but I agree with Chimpy McFlightsuit on this one. There is no reason these border patrol agents should be punished for trying to stop fleeing drug dealers.
Are you referring to the CEO's of the beer companies and cigarette companies? Oh, you mean the ILLEGAL drug dealers. Gotcha. My bad.
... it's killing them and then telling a cock-and-bull story to cover up what you did.
the drug dealer they shot was killed. I think he testified at their trial.
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy
running away
he testified against them...got a ton of money in compensation...then went back to drug running
he is also a pal with another border agent
drug dealer a pal with a border agent???
The post says, "Incidentally, the White House is saying that these are the last pardons or commutations that Bush is planning."
"Planning" being the operative word there. He still has until tomorrow at one second before noon to "plan" some more.
Were there more before these "last" two were issued?
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
I know they lie for lying's sake, but why should they bother? Unless it's a trial balloon of some sort. Otherwise, if he really wanted to pardon Cheney etc, why say that he's done now?
Maybe Obama and Bush have a gentlmen's agreement: Bush won't pardon anybody if Obama won't prosecute anybody.
What does Obama get out of that deal?
I have no opinion on these two ex-border patrol agents which I wish to share, but your readers should be aware that a pardon and a commutation are two very different things. A pardon wipes the slate clean, as if no offense had ever even occurred. A commutation merely removes the punishment. These two ex-agents remained convicted felons, with all that entails. A pardon essentially and officially makes a person "not guilty."
You're absolutely right. I've corrected the headline.
a big deal out of the difference between a commutation and a pardon?
Any sane person would trade a criminal record for freedom from federal prison. This isn't a week in county jail for shoplifting, this is hard time we're talking about. A commutation is a very big deal.
Bush has left a lot more middle fingers behind for the American people. we don't know all of them yet but rest assured they will come out over the next several years.
what were these guards thinking? They could have just taken the gulf cartels bribe money and none of this would have had to happen. silly men trying and failing to do their jobs.
Could this day drag by any slower? I mean is seems like each hour is two hours long. Not sure I can hold my breath twenty more hours.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Multiple Audacity Disorder is a malady brought upon by uncharacteristically high levels of hopefulness. As Barack Obama prepares for the presidency of the United States of America, victims of this disorder will begin to believe that an array extremely unlikely scenarios actually exist within the realm of possible futures.
The disorder is caused by the massive pools of emotion originating in the heart, which over time will flow through the bloodstream and become lodged in the reasoning sections of the victim's brain.
Symptoms include believing in tomorrow, thinking any child can grow up to be president, and wondering if satire is dead now that the world is perfect.
Doctors across the country have expressed concern that many victims could fall into shock upon the realization Barack Obama is a non-divine human mammal. Some medical professionals have expressed hope that Obama will somehow manage not fail in the slightest as president, though these professionals are generally believed to be suffering from the disorder themselves.
http://blog.indecision2008.com/2009/01/15/oba...
I was talking about having to wait twenty more hours and bush having twenty more hours to screw us over just a little bit more than he already has. I am holding my breath and hoping he won't.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
to make yer day go faster PoP! A little Daily Show usually makes me smirk. Ya gotta take the link to the "get your pardon"...tis hilarious.
Go here and get your own from Jon Stewart!
http://blog.indecision2008.com/2009/01/12/get...
I suspect Bush issued major pardons today (i.e Ted Stevens, Jack Abramhoff, Libby, blanket pardons, et al) but we'll never know because they claimed Executive Privilege.
Yep, and then they stored the pardons in Cheney's man-safe!
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of Stupidity" - Frank Leahy
Shooting a admitted drug smuggler - Bad.
Setting fire to a bunch of religious nutjobs including women and children - Good.
Look at the effect drugs are having on America, and the world. LOOK, for chrissake, at the chaos in Mexico being perpetrated by drug cartels. Drug smugglers SHOULD be shot. You don't play patty-cake with people who are ruining millions of lives and making addicts of children. These guys should have gotten a medal.
everyone in the CIA though. Biggest drug smuggler on the planet is a government agency.
Do you have any hard evidence of that, or have you been watching too many movies and reading too much Robert Ludlum?
do you think Manuel Noriega was capnmike? Drug smuggler and CIA agent. Then he ticked off Bushie the first, and voila. Jail for life.
capnmike
I think the primary complaint is that they lied and tried to cover it up. I don't particularly want drug smugglers-dealers to be shot, but I would be happy if they were put away for a long time. The US really does have a problem that it hasn't addressed for years and years with drugs coming over the borders, and not just the Mexico border. A lot of drug ships come in along the coasts.
I dunno, but I for one would not be happy to know that my tax dollars were being spent to support drug smugglers in prisons for years and years....I'd rather see a few of them shot "pour encourager les autres"...
nobody "makes" addicts. Lack of education about the dangers of drugs and alcohol makes addicts. Should we start shooting convenience store owners to stop alcoholism?
Clue...buy one.
It was beautiful and a bastion of liberals who worked for Cesar Chavez, the ACLU, organized the Sanctuary movement during the 80's and worked against the KKK, on and on.
But then the rich retired people who don't like a lot of color in their neighborhood unless they are roofers, moved in, built 35 golf courses, ruined the culture, air and surrounding desert beauty. And you don't even want to see what the rich, like the McCains, have done to the ancient, exquisitely beautiful spiritual Sedona.
Tucson and a few other communities were the good part of AZ.
But there are lots of small towns filled with ignorant, and proud of it, rednecks and several major military outlets.
Not a surprise for the choice to let the killers of brown guys out, they never get jail for that in AZ. I cried for the families, who are not even considered. Some pointy cowboy boots should be thrown at these killers.
Thank goodness I got out in the 70's and only visit when my constitution is strong and my desire for the natural beauty of AZ.
Between the rich racists and the ignorant racists, it's not a pretty picture anymore.
the prosecutor was overzealous and these guys were made scapegoats for our failed border policy
woulda been one thing to fire them and have them lose all benefits
quite another to sentence them to 10 years
i dont like bush...but he did the right thing here
and/or commutation
the border area has become a shooting gallery
alot of these agents suffer from the same ills that our returning troops do
they are undermanned, are given conflicting orders and work damn hard
really, chimpy deserves a break on this one
You have just described every law enforcement agency in the United States; undermanned; conflicting orders; over worked; a shooting gallery.
What makes these guys special; they broke the law and were convicted by a jury. Cops get proscecuted for misconduct everyday in America. The only reason these guys were given a pardon is becuase some GOPers decided to use them as poster boys for their build an electric fence anti-immigration election year side issue. This is a political payoff for letting the GOP use their criminal case as an election year stage prop.
The jury may convict, but generally not sentence.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Why does she look like she should be carrying a tuna-noodle cassarole surprise
And maybe some Marshmellow Jello dish?
The surprised would come from managing to keep it down.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
There boosh goes again with another of his Nazi salutes
When he's not saluting Satan.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
1. He was an illegal alien. He was a drug dealer. The two agents did their jobs. Where's the outrage?
and 2. That lady talking about their kids is just a bit nuts. And her kids may turn out the same way.
That is all.
NOBODY 2012
Compean and Ramos claimed that this was a regular bust for illegal entry, but what really happened is that the driver pulled over and ran for the border. Compean and Ramos followed immediately, firing at the guy. IIRC, there were over 20 shots fired- only the one hit in the ass. At trial not only did the accused not testify (their right), their defense never challenged the evidence that mounted against them.
From my read of the evidence, Compean and Ramos were attempting to rip off the weed this guy was carying. I worked out the street value of what the guy was carrying, estimating the value of Mexican ragweed to be kind of low, and it was around $900K. They chased the driver off, and were shooting to miss. They fired one errant shot that actually hit the guy, and that was their undoing. All imo, of course, but based on reading the transcripts over and over shortly after the two were sentenced.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
Don't get me wrong, Bush is the worst President ever. I am shocked though reading these comments. It seems no one here knows anything about this case, including the person who wrote it. It was a dirty prosacution from the get go. Do a little research.
Justice should be blind, except in the dispensation of mercy. A strong case can be legitimately made that Ramos and Compean were railroaded.
I thought the government had a hard time running their own railroad.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
Lou Dobbs, "Illegal Alien" wingnut extraordinaire is gonna get serious wood out of this one. We're talking major wingnut comedy.
Question: How, in the face of the wreckage that Bush is leaving behind, can anyone still take a position that is favorable to either him or to the wingnut fringers in general? This is truly baffling to me. Not that it will do any good, but I continue to say this: "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." Perhaps if we keep repeating this phrase we'll finally be heard. I won't hold my breath. The simple fact is that the wingnuts really do want Obama to fail, and they don't give a fuck how badly it hurts the country or its citizens. It's about power, not about right or wrong. Fuckers.
To quote the minions of Hawkeye Pierce:
"So long, ferret face!"
Democratic Party progressive, Vietnam veteran and proud Union member for 41 years
Before I came to Crooks and Liars I read a blurb about this on Comcast.net. First they describe the crime, and then they only gave positive reviews of the pardon. I couldn't believe it. Guys who murdered illegal aliens and then tried to cover it up. If they tried to cover it up, they knew it was morally wrong.
No one was murdered!!! He was a drug smuggler wounded in the ass!!!
WTF?
Oh, right. One tragic day in 1997, a illegal alien, intoxicated by too much poverty, ambition, and a foolish desire to see his children eat, selfishly decided to cross the border one night without a designated white-American citizen.
Robbing this woman's children of much-deserved careers in lawn care, maid service, chicken processing, and tomato picking, she had no choice but to fight back and found this heroic organization. I'm so proud.
People like her is why I drink folks.
The whole religious complexion of the modern world is due to the absence from Jerusalem of a Lunatic Asylum. -Havelock Ellis
there is such a thing as LEGAL immigration. If people choose to be criminals, they do take on some additional risks. Especially if they're running drugs across the U.S. border.
...and I really enjoy much of what I read hear...
But you have got your head in your a$$ on this issue son.
These two deserved to be punished but 11-12 years was ridiculously excessive.
This issue has NOTHING to do with immigration!
Spend some time on the border and get back too me.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
polluting her young children's minds with her filthy propaganda.
I'm certainly no wingnut but I am estatic over the commutation of these 2 border agents. So many of you who have posted on this subject haven't a clue about this case. If you did you would realize that this commutation is 2 years overdue. I especially liked the comment about border agents killing illegal immigrants. Do any of you read at all or do you just parrot everything you hear. These 2 agents were victims of an illegal prosecution by Johnny Sutton and the Bush justice department. The only thing these border agents should have been reprimanded for was their lousy shooting. Then again I suppose many of you find it perfectly acceptable for Mexican drug cartels to tote hundred pounds of illegal drugs across the border and then cry wolf when they are caught in the act, shot, and wounded. Maybe all of you can ask President Obama for a commutation when the individual that Ramos and Compean wounded is sentenced for his most recent attempt at drug smuggling. I suppose all of you now consider Rahm Emmanuel and Diane Feinstein wingnuts because they both pushed hard for the commutation.
Hmmm.
It's amazing how many of you think that shooting people for minor crimes is an appropriate response. And none of you seem to think it's a big deal when law-enforcement officers whip out their guns and fire at people at whim.
Talk to police officials up in Oakland about that, why dontcha?
Which minor crime would that have been in this case?
but after reviewing the story...this schmuck had over 700 pounds of weed in a van - I'm personally not too upset that these guys dropped this particular guy, this particular night, under these particular circumstances. Letting them go for that would not be the worst thing in the world.
And I'm not even anti weed, but this amount of weed would bring A LOT of crime, some of it very violent, into our country.
The fact that it is ANY kind of victory for the rabid anti illegal clowns is unfortunate however.
None of us we're at the scene of these crimes. We go by what we are told through the media.
I have witnessed from personal experience some very strange things all along the Baja peninsula.
I've seen some very scary characters.
They will shoot you just as soon as they look at you.
Being a border patrol agent is no easy job.
You get assaulted quite often. Anything from rocks being thrown at you to being shot at.
I'm not excusing them for shooting this clown. That was wrong.
But we really don't know the whole story ,do we?
I have a little story for you.
My wife and I were camping on the point in central Baja.
Nothing around us for miles. I'm talking Nothing.
Right before dark, 2 shrimp boats back up on the beach. All the way up on the beach. I could barely see them because it was getting dark. All night long, I could see headlights going back and forth.
The next morning, My wife and I were going into town (Guerrero Negro) on the way along the beach, we came up on these three men.
One guy looked so scary. I never want to be in that situation again. As we were passing these men, I told my wife to not look at them. To look at her feet.She did. I looked the other way . When we got to the highway, there was a semi ready to go. We went the other way.
Now, this is just one instance. I have many more.
There is a very real problem with our southern border. I'm not even talking about the immigrants. These guys play for keeps.
Now, how many times do you think these two border agents came across trouble? How many times did they put their lives on the line?
I think we need to cut these guys some slack.
Do you know what the murder rate was in Tijuana for 08?
These guys deal with this crap everyday.
It's easy to cast guilt from the sidelines. But before you do, walk a mile in their boots.
These guys deal with the cartels David. And the cartels don't fuck around.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
You're response was somewhat offensive. Just so you know.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
There is a drug war going on in Mexico, where even high-placed officials aren't safe. The concern is the war could spread over the southern border into Texas.
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
From the cartels. I've been going up and down the Baja peninsula for over 20 years. This is the worst I've ever seen it.
The Mexican military have numerous road blocks on the highway all along the peninsula.
At first, they rousted the tourists the most. But not anymore. President Fox was the one who changed all that.
And the new president seems to be fortifying Fox's efforts.
That's why things are getting so bad in Mexico.
The cartels don't like the gov't gettin in the way.
This will get worse before it gets better.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
when it comes to this kind of shit it's the talk radio monopoly that does the real work. you can't do this, make these guys RW heroes without the coordinated uncontested repetition of the talk radio monopoly- guys like dobbs make a living regurgitating talking points limbaugh and sons already prechewed for them.
progressives spend way too much time going after the small fish.
" Jerome Corsi of Swiftboating and "Obama Nation" infamy -- you know, the guy who never met a fact he couldn't falsify -- and Lou Dobbs played key roles in mainstreaming the Ramos/Compean story as a case of the Bush administration kowtowing to Mexican interests.
That this guy was killed. Just goes to show you how much attention is being paid.
He was shot in the ASS!
And he got busted shortly there after for smuggling drugs again.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
Illegal immigrant.
Neil Cavuto is a Putz!
As I write this, Bush has eleven hours left in power. Please god don't let him do anything else except take Barney for a walk. The fact that he only did half the pardons and commutes than other Presidents did, is because here is a heart and mind set for executing. Pardons go against his innate plant brain beliefs. How will the universe reckon with this individual? Whatever karmic fate awaits him I hope it comes in the form of poetic irony.
is she insane?
I wonder what the border guard's sentence would've been if their names were Smith and Jones?
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
These men should have been granted a Full Pardon. The Prosecution withheld evidence from the Defense. That is a NO NO!
This may be the only act Bush may have gotten Half Right in 8 years.
Donaldd
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