Demand President Bush Pardon Ramos and Compean!
 
President Bush's pre-Thanksgiving pardons to convicted drug offenders punctuates this Administration's utter contempt for all efforts, whether by federal employee, state or county government, and even civilian, to truly secure this nation's borders. The American Policy Center wants to know why President Bush's "compassionate conservatism" extends to drug offenders, but not to those sworn to secure our nation's borders against drug traffickers. President Bush has less than two months left in his term of office - less than two months to pardon U.S. Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean; please join our demand that he immediately do so.
As you know, agents Ramos and Compean were incarcerated in January, 2007, after being prosecuted and convicted for pursuing and shooting Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, a known, convicted and deported drug trafficker, back in 2005.
Aldrete-Davila escaped apprehension, but was later tracked down and hauled into court by U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton (supervisor of the Western District of Texas where the incident occurred), following a grant of immunity in exchange for his testimony against our Border Patrol agents who attempted to stop him and his drugs at our border! Prosecutors produced a bullet, with a broken chain of evidence, contending agent Ramos shot Aldrete-Davila while he was fleeing (or trying to surrender - Sutton made both claims). The American physician who later examined and treated this drug runner reported the wound track was consistent with Ramos' testimony that this crook had turned and pointed something looking like a weapon.
What shocked most Americans was the admission in court by U.S. Attorney Debra Kanov, who actually prosecuted the case, that "It is a violation of Border Patrol regulations to go after someone who is fleeing." Our Border Patrol agents are required to first obtain permission from supervisors before chasing suspected drug dealers. That time delay amounts to a de facto "no arrest" policy when this delay permits a smuggler to escape.
Public outrage resulted in 105 members of Congress co-sponsoring a resolution, H.R. 563, calling for Ramos and Compean to be freed. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) said, "The Ramos and Compean case is the worst miscarriage of justice that I have witnessed in the 30 years I have been in Washington (emphasis mine)."
A Congressional investigation forced Inspector General Richard Skinner to admit that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials falsified their report to Congress that DHS had documentary evidence that agents Ramos and Compean fired on a man they knew to be unarmed and not a threat to them.
Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) recently wrote of Ramos and Compean, "These are the kinds of men whose government failed and destroyed them - all while they were serving a cause greater than themselves. These men deserve justice. I, and many other members of Congress, have repeatedly called upon President Bush to exercise his power to pardon - but he had not done so."
President Bush's conduct is an outrage, and wholly unacceptable! But there is a ray of hope. Department of Justice Pardon Attorney Donald Rodgers is considering the commutation of Ramos' and Compean's sentences. Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) stated, "Ramos and Compean have been living in the torture of solitary confinement for almost two years for something they never should have been prosecuted for in the first place (emphasis mine). We are pleading with the Pardon Attorney to make a favorable recommendation of commutation to the President so he can finally do the right thing by these men and their families (emphasis mine)." White House Press Secretary Dana Perino stated the President has no comment.
ACTION TO TAKE
Agents Ramos and Compean, and their wives and children, have all been obscenely violated by the government persecution of these two defenders of our nation.
Enough is enough! Please immediately contact President Bush and demand he immediately pardon, or commute the sentences of, agents Ramos and Compean. You may call the White House Switchboard at (202) 456-1414, or fax at (202) 456-2461, or write President Bush:
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
HINT - Use a postcard so your request will not be delayed for the security clearance required for all sealed envelopes.
Please do not relent until the President announces his acquiescence.