Sam Johnson calls on Johnny Sutton to testify before Congress under oath on protecting a Mexican drug smuggler over U.S. border agents
Washington,
Jul 25, 2007 -
Today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd
Dist.-Texas) demanded that Johnny Sutton go before a House panel and testify
under oath why he protected an illegal-immigrant drug smuggler over United
States border agents, despite knowing full well that the smuggler had been
caught running drugs again.
United States Attorney Johnny Sutton changed course and
has announced that he will no longer testify before a House Foreign Affairs
panel on the case involving two United States border agents sentenced
to long-term prison sentences for shooting a Mexican drug runner in the
buttocks. They feared for their lives and thought the drug runner was armed.
His refusal to testify
comes in the wake of a special discovery. Today at a news conference on Capitol Hill, U.S.
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (46th Dist.-Calif) revealed official
border crossing documents that indicate the drug smuggler in the Ramos and
Compean Border Agent case was issued unfettered access to the United States
after his involvement in a second drug smuggling
incident. The documents clearly prove the drug smuggler, who
was given immunity to testify against Border Agents Ramos and Compean, was
issued two more border passes after the government became aware of
Aldrete-Davila’s involvement in a second load of narcotics. The paperwork
includes six border crossing cards total.
“This is gross, just gross. Johnny Sutton needs to
testify or resign. Johnny Sutton needs to declare under oath why he gave a
Mexican drug smuggler a free pass to testify against border agents who were
doing their jobs,” said Johnson.
Border
Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean are currently serving 11 and 12
year prison terms, respectively. The plight of the jailed border agents has
garnered intense scrutiny because of the severe prosecution and unfair
conviction of the agents for shooting a fleeing
“illegal
drug smuggler during an altercation after 740 pounds (over $1 million street
value) of marijuana was discovered in his van near the border.
“It
appears as though the U.S. Attorney’s Office was so intent on getting Ramos and
Compean that their judgment was totally clouded to the degree they aided and
abetted a criminal who was at that point actively engaged and already involved
with a drug cartel,” says Rohrabacher.
“Obviously,
giving a free border crossing pass to a known drug smuggler either reflects
total incompetence or warped sense of prosecutorial priorities which has plagued
this case from the beginning. The Departments of Justice and Homeland Security
have not been forthcoming about producing documents in this case and have both
declined to appear before my Subcommittee to account for their actions. The
U.S. Attorney’s Office withheld critical information from the jury and have
continued to do so with Congress,” said Rohrabacher.
“When it
comes to our U.S. border agents who are just
trying to do their jobs, a United States District Attorney has a civic
obligation to bring to the public’s attention any evidence that would reflect
upon the credibility of a witness or dramatically change the outcome of the
case.
Johnny
Sutton gave the drug runner free access to cross our borders on condition that
he would not smuggle drugs again. Later, Johnny Sutton found out that the
witness was running drugs but still let him testify as an ‘innocent victim.’ By
allowing the drug runner to testify, Johnny Sutton let a known liar testify
against our own border agents.”
For months
now Johnson has called on President Bush to pardon the agents from their lengthy
prison terms, sadly, with little success. “Hopefully this new information will
change the President’s mind,” concluded Johnson.