California has problems, higher than average unemployment, a budget that’s bust and a man-made drought, however that is nothing compared to what California Barbara Boxer has planned – housing the 9/11 terrorists somewhere in the golden state.
Yes, move over Alcatraz, Boxer would like to see the 9/11 terrorists tried in federal civilian courts instead of traditional military commissions.
The same dirt bags that were responsible for killing more than 3,000 innocent Americans in 2001, may be transferred to California soil and join the ranks of Charles Manson, Hillside Strangler and O.J. Simpson.
Amendment 2669 in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010 was written by Sen. Lindsey Graham-R S.C.; the amendment would have prevented those responsible for the 9/11 attacks any funds for prosecution.
California’s other Senator Diane Feinstein-D joined her partner in crime in voting to allow the terrorists to be tried in federal court.
“Boxer voted to weaken America’s national security tonight when she voted against a measure that would keep some of the world’s deadliest terrorists out of American communities,” said Amber Wilkerson Marchand of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
“Boxer needs to explain to her constituents why she suddenly believes the co-conspirators of the 9/11 attacks should be tried in civilian courtrooms alongside common criminals,” she said.
Boxer’s challengers, Carly Fiorina or Chuck DeVore will clearly take Boxer to task on this careless vote in the nation’s capital.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Senator DeMint throws his weight behind California Senate hopeful DeVore
A big time endorsement from Senator Jim DeMint-R SC went to California conservative Chuck DeVore who hopes to win his primary and take on sitting liberal Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer.
Looking ahead to the 2010 election, Chuck DeVore hopes a Reagan-style landslide is in his future with the support of such a prominent Republican Senator. This five-year veteran in the California State Assembly sees the upcoming election as a way to change the country’s future.
“He is in a very difficult state (CA), and when he gets here (D.C.) he’s going to join a country- not a club,” DeMint quipped. “We need to shake up the Republican Party, and Chuck’s not afraid to stand up to his own party and say you’re wrong.”
California currently faces historic unemployment rates, continued budget shortfalls and a man made drought in the Central Valley.
“Chuck stands by the farmers even when California’s current Senators continue to do nothing,” says DeMint.
DeVore explained he was delighted to get DeMint’s endorsement. “Jim sees our California Senators are falling down on the job at the federal level- they could help our farmers in the Central Valley.”
After the political landslide in this week’s elections, both Senator and candidate see promise in the upcoming 2010 midterms. “The election’s were an indication that if Republicans are willing to put a good campaign together, they can win in any state in the country,” DeMint said.
Running for office in ultra liberal California poses unique challenges for Republicans, especially a conservative one. You have to go all the way back to Ronald Reagan to see a strong victory.
“There are two reasons why I am running against Ma’am Boxer; one because we so badly need to beat her and two, I know we can do it in 2010,” DeVore enthusiastically said.
DeVore expects to run on conservative principles. In his five-year career in the California State Assembly, DeVore held his ground. DeVore also has a strong military background.
“We (California) can’t keep spending and borrowing our way out problems,” DeVore explained. “California can’t grow government with borrowed money from China.”
Clearly DeVore believes something is broken in the California legislative process and would like an opportunity to address the issues at a federal level.
Before DeVore can take his shot against Boxer, he must win the Republican primary against Carly Fiorina. “This race will set up a wonderful contrast. I consider myself a true Reagan Republican, Carly is more of a Rockefeller Republican.”
In any case California’s Senate seat is ripe for the picking.
For another story on Chuck DeVore; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m9d18-DeVore-has-his-eye-on-Maam-Barbara-Boxers-Senate-seat
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Looking ahead to the 2010 election, Chuck DeVore hopes a Reagan-style landslide is in his future with the support of such a prominent Republican Senator. This five-year veteran in the California State Assembly sees the upcoming election as a way to change the country’s future.
“He is in a very difficult state (CA), and when he gets here (D.C.) he’s going to join a country- not a club,” DeMint quipped. “We need to shake up the Republican Party, and Chuck’s not afraid to stand up to his own party and say you’re wrong.”
California currently faces historic unemployment rates, continued budget shortfalls and a man made drought in the Central Valley.
“Chuck stands by the farmers even when California’s current Senators continue to do nothing,” says DeMint.
DeVore explained he was delighted to get DeMint’s endorsement. “Jim sees our California Senators are falling down on the job at the federal level- they could help our farmers in the Central Valley.”
After the political landslide in this week’s elections, both Senator and candidate see promise in the upcoming 2010 midterms. “The election’s were an indication that if Republicans are willing to put a good campaign together, they can win in any state in the country,” DeMint said.
Running for office in ultra liberal California poses unique challenges for Republicans, especially a conservative one. You have to go all the way back to Ronald Reagan to see a strong victory.
“There are two reasons why I am running against Ma’am Boxer; one because we so badly need to beat her and two, I know we can do it in 2010,” DeVore enthusiastically said.
DeVore expects to run on conservative principles. In his five-year career in the California State Assembly, DeVore held his ground. DeVore also has a strong military background.
“We (California) can’t keep spending and borrowing our way out problems,” DeVore explained. “California can’t grow government with borrowed money from China.”
Clearly DeVore believes something is broken in the California legislative process and would like an opportunity to address the issues at a federal level.
Before DeVore can take his shot against Boxer, he must win the Republican primary against Carly Fiorina. “This race will set up a wonderful contrast. I consider myself a true Reagan Republican, Carly is more of a Rockefeller Republican.”
In any case California’s Senate seat is ripe for the picking.
For another story on Chuck DeVore; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m9d18-DeVore-has-his-eye-on-Maam-Barbara-Boxers-Senate-seat
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Boxer faces another contender in her 2010 reelection race – Carly Fiorina
During a live web cast, Carly Fiorina announced her intention to run for the California Senate seat currently occupied by Democrat Barbara Boxer. However, she will have to make it through a tough primary race against fellow Republican Chuck DeVore.
Claiming to have a new lease on life after her nine-month battle with breast cancer, Fiorina stated that “Boxer isn’t so scary, after my chemo-therapy treatments.”
In a calm and determined manner Fiorina talked about the current economic crisis and understood that it was difficult to remain optimistic. “California faces historic unemployment levels and out-of-control spending,” she explained. “Instead of investing for growth in Washington, we get talk, partisanship and back room deals.”
What would a campaign speech be without targeting the opposition? “Boxer has been Senator for 17 years and she’s delivered three pieces of legislation; a name of a river, a name of a courthouse in Fresno and some seismic technology to the Bay Area. I guess one piece of legislation in 17 years isn’t so bad.”
This political jab will be a staple on the campaign trail for Fiorina.
However, Boxer’s prized jewel of her 17-year career will definitely be the Cap and Trade Bill she co-sponsors with Senator John Kerry-D-MA.
The 800-plus page Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act has already met with fierce opposition and is expected to garner few if any votes from the Republican side of the isle.
“We need simple logic and common sense when it comes to the environment. We can save the environment and protect jobs with innovation and entrepreneurs,” she explained.
Fiorina, who worked her way through the male-dominated technology sector with Hewlett Packard, pointed to her years of running a large corporation as her template to get Washington back onto the right track and give Californian’s the voice they deserve.
“D.C. needs to start with the obvious thing first – live within your means.”
Wasting no time on her first day of campaigning, Fiorina signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
She also turned to a few issues her campaign will focus on. Audience favorite was the no new taxes, followed by additional funding for small businesses who didn’t receive any bailout money.
“We also need to look at our regulation framework. It’s been around for a century and it needs to fixed,” she explained.
If Fiorina is successful in her Republican primary race, she will face an incumbent who has been described by the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s Brian Walsh, as "Ineffective, polarizing and partisan."
With an even tone, Fiorina said, “She (Boxer) has taken the low road to reach higher office every election cycle.”
Sounds like Fiorina is ready to rumble.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Claiming to have a new lease on life after her nine-month battle with breast cancer, Fiorina stated that “Boxer isn’t so scary, after my chemo-therapy treatments.”
In a calm and determined manner Fiorina talked about the current economic crisis and understood that it was difficult to remain optimistic. “California faces historic unemployment levels and out-of-control spending,” she explained. “Instead of investing for growth in Washington, we get talk, partisanship and back room deals.”
What would a campaign speech be without targeting the opposition? “Boxer has been Senator for 17 years and she’s delivered three pieces of legislation; a name of a river, a name of a courthouse in Fresno and some seismic technology to the Bay Area. I guess one piece of legislation in 17 years isn’t so bad.”
This political jab will be a staple on the campaign trail for Fiorina.
However, Boxer’s prized jewel of her 17-year career will definitely be the Cap and Trade Bill she co-sponsors with Senator John Kerry-D-MA.
The 800-plus page Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act has already met with fierce opposition and is expected to garner few if any votes from the Republican side of the isle.
“We need simple logic and common sense when it comes to the environment. We can save the environment and protect jobs with innovation and entrepreneurs,” she explained.
Fiorina, who worked her way through the male-dominated technology sector with Hewlett Packard, pointed to her years of running a large corporation as her template to get Washington back onto the right track and give Californian’s the voice they deserve.
“D.C. needs to start with the obvious thing first – live within your means.”
Wasting no time on her first day of campaigning, Fiorina signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
She also turned to a few issues her campaign will focus on. Audience favorite was the no new taxes, followed by additional funding for small businesses who didn’t receive any bailout money.
“We also need to look at our regulation framework. It’s been around for a century and it needs to fixed,” she explained.
If Fiorina is successful in her Republican primary race, she will face an incumbent who has been described by the National Republican Senatorial Committee’s Brian Walsh, as "Ineffective, polarizing and partisan."
With an even tone, Fiorina said, “She (Boxer) has taken the low road to reach higher office every election cycle.”
Sounds like Fiorina is ready to rumble.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
House of Death – U.S. Government cover-up unveiled
The ‘House of Death’ case lends itself to a sad part of American history for the government, a low point, but now five years and a new president later the case continues to be swept under the mat.
Over the past nine months the White House has hammered away at the Bush Administration on everything from bungling the war on terrorism to the economy. How many times have we heard “We are a nation of laws?” Or “I don’t mind cleaning up the mess; just don’t tell me how to do it?” Or seen the word “transparency” used.
U.S. law enforcement certainly tweaked the laws concerning the Juarez House of Death case that ultimately cost 12 lives; 11 of which could have been prevented. So why are the recent and current White House Administrations failing to stand by the laws of America? Why look the other way? These are questions this story will attempt to answer without any help from government officials.
It’s no secret that Juarez is presently the most violent city in Mexico and murders take place on a daily basis. But does it mean the U.S. government should be complicit when said murders are known to take place? This is exactly what happened after the first murder at the House of Death in Juarez.
In an affidavit, Juanita Fielden, an Assistant U.S. Attorney says; “I learned of the first murder on August 5, 2003… I, in turn, contacted Ass. U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman who advised Richard Durbin, chief of the criminal division for the Western District of Texas.”
A full five months pass before the truth comes out. During those five months, eleven more murders will be committed.
After the proverbial s**t hit the fan and DEA agents’ lives were put in grave danger and the out-of-control case sped faster off the cliff, one senior agent had enough. “We had five to six DEA staff members in danger as well as their families,” said Sandalio ‘Sandy’ Gonzalez the retired special agent in charge for the El Paso DEA office.
This final incident in January 2004 at the House of Death became the parameter in seeking the truth for one man at the DEA.
Meanwhile the El Paso Ice office began reporting the House of Death matter to Washington D.C. Eventually the case also passed through the office of Johnny Sutton, the US Attorney for Western Texas and a close ally of George W. Bush.
It was expected that Sutton would have shut down the case after the first murder, according to Bill Weaver, a law professor at the University of Texas at El Paso who has written extensively about the murder case. Sutton should have told ICE to “go with what you have, and let's try to bring Santillan to justice.”
It is worth pointing out that there was already a pending case on Heriberto Santillan-Tabares (a top lieutenant of the drug cartel in Juarez). In the end, he would be sent to prison for more than 25 years on the original drug charges, not for the murders he authorized and was charged with in the superseding indictment of February 18, 2004.
In the months before Washington decided to move on Santillan, the backyard of the Juarez house at 3633 Calle Parsonieros was filling up with tortured murdered corpses.
The term “carne asada” was used frequently to discuss murders that were about to take place. Each time Lalo had to get permission from his ICE handlers to cross the Mexico border to witness the murders and then report back to the U.S. government.
The House of Death case was spiraling out of control. In testimony at Gonzalez’ discrimination trial in federal court, current Acting Administrator Michelle Leonhart acknowledged under oath that she notified Attorney General Ashcroft about the House of Death, and then DEA Administrator Karen Tandy did so as well. Tandy also testified to the fact the House of Death case was being handled at the highest levels of the Department of Justice.
In addition to the highest levels of the Justice Department, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson were also briefed about the case. This was testified to under oath by DEA Chief of Operations Michael Furgason at the same civil trial.
By this time the cover-up is in full swing and DOJ, ICE and DEA are all willing participants.
In early February of 2004 Gonzalez was directed by DEA Headquarters to get to the bottom of the House of Death debacle. As a result, Gonzalez conducted relevant inquiries, which led to a letter he sent to his counterpart at ICE and to the U.S. Attorney’s Office on February 24, 2004. In the letter, Gonzalez said it was unacceptable that DEA agents and their families were placed in grave danger by the recklessness of ICE in the handling of the Santillan case.
“This resulted in the unnecessary loss of human life in the Republic of Mexico,” Gonzalez said in a letter to his counterpart the SAC for ICE as well as U.S. Attorney Sutton’s office.
Regarding the letter, during sworn testimony Leonhart claimed that Gonzalez should have cleared the letter with her office prior to sending it. She also said in the past, “I remember occasions when he would have issues with the U.S. Attorney’s office and would even show me a draft letter before he went and sent it or would talk to headquarters and get some guidance before he would send it.” This came as a surprise to Gonzalez and he made it clear during his rebuttal testimony that was not DEA procedure as he was a Senior DEA Executive in charge of a Field Division and had the authority to sign official correspondence on behalf of DEA in his division.
According to Gonzalez’ letter, “Following the August murder of Fernando LNU in 2003, ICE agents requested several country clearances for the informant to travel to Juarez. They continued sending the informant to Juarez while failing to report his activities to DEA as required by internal agreements.”
The letter also included a meeting that took place right after the first murder between FBI, DEA and ICE to discuss the Mexican Police corruption matter as well as the murder. However, ICE blew the meeting off, according to Gonzalez. “This should have ended at the August 11, 2003 meeting.”
“Once it was known that at least 12 murders had taken place at the house, ICE would not let Lalo give a statement to the Mexican authorities for several weeks,” Gonzalez said. “He finally gave his statement regarding the violence and brutality that took place in Juarez from August 2003 to January 2004.”
According to Gonzalez, “weeks later, when Lalo was finally made available to DEA for debriefing, ICE set up some ground rules notifying all parties that Lalo could not be asked about his activities prior to January 14, 2004.”
Gonzalez maintains this game playing by the U.S. amounts to nothing more than obstructing an investigation. In his letter, he wrote “This situation is so bizarre; I have never come across such callous behavior by fellow law enforcement officers.”
Catherine O'Neil, director of the DOJ's Organized Crime Task Force, described Gonzalez’ letter as “inflammatory.” She passed on Sutton's fears to the then Attorney General, John Ashcroft and then to DEA Administrator Karen Tandy.
Tandy explains she was horrified by Gonzalez' letter. “I apologized to Johnny Sutton last night and he and I agreed on a ‘no comment’ to the press.”
Gonzalez would be removed from the House of Death case and ordered not to talk about it to the press.
As a result of conflicting reports about the situation by both DEA and ICE, a Joint Assessment Team was convened to review the situation. More than 40 people were interviewed on both sides of the border. According to Gonzalez, he was blocked from gaining a copy of the report, though during his civil trial then Deputy Administrator Leonhart stated he had been informed he’d get a copy of it.
“There have been several Freedom of Information Act requests for this document,” said Andy Ramirez of the Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council who has been following this case. “I think the JAT report would answer a lot of questions concerning the mishandling of the House of Death case. If everything is kosher why not release the report?”
Gonzalez concurs, “They (ICE and DEA) needed to get their stories straight. It was clear that DEA and ICE had a strained relationship and there was a lot of finger pointing, but in the end DEA was out of the loop. We had the wisdom to deactivate Lalo when he tried to cross the U.S. border with 100 pounds of marijuana, however; ICE kept him around.”
The letter Gonzalez wrote would be validated by the findings in the JAT report and to this day Gonzalez has never been challenged on the facts he presented in his letter.
“The proof is in the pudding,” Gonzalez said. “The jury didn’t buy anything that the government was saying during my civil trial, and I won.”
Adding to this is the simple fact that on page 516 of the official trial record, then Deputy Administrator Leonhart testified in regards to responsibility over the House of Death, “ICE was responsible, yes…ICE caused the incident.”
Coincidentally, four of the five agency employees who testified against Gonzalez were presidential appointees, and three seemed okay with what took place within the House of Death case. They were not hesitant to throw Gonzalez under the bus for questioning it in writing.
****
This would be the beginning of the end for Lalo. He simply faded into the Texas backdrop until August of 2004 when someone tried to shoot him in El Paso He escaped injury, when he had a fellow snitch go on his behalf instead.
Lalo was then taken into protective custody and in May 2005, ICE, the agency that had cherished him, began legal proceedings to deport him to Mexico. This amounted to a death sentence for an ex-Mexican police officer turned drug dealer turned U.S. snitch.
Why send a former U.S. snitch who earned more than $250,000 from Uncle Sam to certain death. Obama made sure the Uighurs from China were released from Gitmo to Bermuda because they would have been murdered if they returned to China.
In a recent statement from DOJ, “I am told that this is a matter currently in litigation and we would, therefore, not be able to comment,” said Charles Miller of the Department of Justice. Yet, when pressed about the case against Santillan has been closed, DOJ declined to answer.
A similar answer came from the DEA; “The DEA will not comment on this deportation matter because immigration matters in general are outside our jurisdiction, and this case specifically was not a DEA case. In addition, DEA does not speak for DOJ on policy matters.”
Basically, DEA continues its stance on not commenting regarding the deportation of Lalo to Mexico, which amounts to a death sentence. It is also worth pointing out that if Lalo dies, so does the embarrassment of the House of Death incident for the U.S.
And finally ICE had no comment regarding their former informant, Lalo.
All the while the record shows that Acting Administrator Leonhart stated under oath that ICE was responsible for the House of Death case.
Andy Ramirez who has worked and investigated legal cases against law enforcement officers as well as border security compromises sums it up best.
“The undeniable fact is that Attorney General Ashcroft, USA Johnny Sutton, and the Justice Department refused to prosecute Santillan for his role in the murders (in the plea deal for drugs), and any of the other key figures in this and other cases. This cadre clearly protected the bad guys at all costs by keeping them out of the courtroom where possible and sealing their crimes or cutting plea deals for lower crimes,” said Ramirez
“Of course the irony here is one can take the words from Sutton’s press briefings, releases and media tour, between 2006 and 2008, where he talks about agents he prosecuted for significantly lower crimes with distorted circumstantial evidence. For the most part, a pattern of hypocrisy and a clear lack of candor exists,” states Ramirez.
He continues, “In essence the U.S. Government’s Executive Branch (DOJ, DEA, DHS, & ICE) have conspired to cover this case up with their refusals to comment, as well as what are called ‘non-denial denials’ of the FOIA requests for the JAT report, and it all started when Sandy wrote his letter to ICE and Sutton.”
But as Ramirez testified before the House Homeland Security Committee in 2007, “Mexico does not know what corruption is, they come to El Paso to learn.”
“Nothing about this case, outside of their attempt to deport Lalo to certain death has been transparent. To me there is a clear-cut case for obstruction of justice by ordering Lalo not to wear the wire, conspiracy to obstruct when someone orders Sandy to not write any more memos and to not talk to the media, though Sutton clearly initiates that by calling DC and not talking with Sandy about it,” Ramirez explains.
“But what is most amazing is that unlike other patterns in cases I’ve observed, Mexico has not screamed foul. I’d say their silence has been quite deafening,” concluded Ramirez.
For part one of the House of Death; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m11d2-House-of-Death-in-Juarez-prelude-to-a-massive-murder-coverup
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Over the past nine months the White House has hammered away at the Bush Administration on everything from bungling the war on terrorism to the economy. How many times have we heard “We are a nation of laws?” Or “I don’t mind cleaning up the mess; just don’t tell me how to do it?” Or seen the word “transparency” used.
U.S. law enforcement certainly tweaked the laws concerning the Juarez House of Death case that ultimately cost 12 lives; 11 of which could have been prevented. So why are the recent and current White House Administrations failing to stand by the laws of America? Why look the other way? These are questions this story will attempt to answer without any help from government officials.
It’s no secret that Juarez is presently the most violent city in Mexico and murders take place on a daily basis. But does it mean the U.S. government should be complicit when said murders are known to take place? This is exactly what happened after the first murder at the House of Death in Juarez.
In an affidavit, Juanita Fielden, an Assistant U.S. Attorney says; “I learned of the first murder on August 5, 2003… I, in turn, contacted Ass. U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman who advised Richard Durbin, chief of the criminal division for the Western District of Texas.”
A full five months pass before the truth comes out. During those five months, eleven more murders will be committed.
After the proverbial s**t hit the fan and DEA agents’ lives were put in grave danger and the out-of-control case sped faster off the cliff, one senior agent had enough. “We had five to six DEA staff members in danger as well as their families,” said Sandalio ‘Sandy’ Gonzalez the retired special agent in charge for the El Paso DEA office.
This final incident in January 2004 at the House of Death became the parameter in seeking the truth for one man at the DEA.
Meanwhile the El Paso Ice office began reporting the House of Death matter to Washington D.C. Eventually the case also passed through the office of Johnny Sutton, the US Attorney for Western Texas and a close ally of George W. Bush.
It was expected that Sutton would have shut down the case after the first murder, according to Bill Weaver, a law professor at the University of Texas at El Paso who has written extensively about the murder case. Sutton should have told ICE to “go with what you have, and let's try to bring Santillan to justice.”
It is worth pointing out that there was already a pending case on Heriberto Santillan-Tabares (a top lieutenant of the drug cartel in Juarez). In the end, he would be sent to prison for more than 25 years on the original drug charges, not for the murders he authorized and was charged with in the superseding indictment of February 18, 2004.
In the months before Washington decided to move on Santillan, the backyard of the Juarez house at 3633 Calle Parsonieros was filling up with tortured murdered corpses.
The term “carne asada” was used frequently to discuss murders that were about to take place. Each time Lalo had to get permission from his ICE handlers to cross the Mexico border to witness the murders and then report back to the U.S. government.
The House of Death case was spiraling out of control. In testimony at Gonzalez’ discrimination trial in federal court, current Acting Administrator Michelle Leonhart acknowledged under oath that she notified Attorney General Ashcroft about the House of Death, and then DEA Administrator Karen Tandy did so as well. Tandy also testified to the fact the House of Death case was being handled at the highest levels of the Department of Justice.
In addition to the highest levels of the Justice Department, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson were also briefed about the case. This was testified to under oath by DEA Chief of Operations Michael Furgason at the same civil trial.
By this time the cover-up is in full swing and DOJ, ICE and DEA are all willing participants.
In early February of 2004 Gonzalez was directed by DEA Headquarters to get to the bottom of the House of Death debacle. As a result, Gonzalez conducted relevant inquiries, which led to a letter he sent to his counterpart at ICE and to the U.S. Attorney’s Office on February 24, 2004. In the letter, Gonzalez said it was unacceptable that DEA agents and their families were placed in grave danger by the recklessness of ICE in the handling of the Santillan case.
“This resulted in the unnecessary loss of human life in the Republic of Mexico,” Gonzalez said in a letter to his counterpart the SAC for ICE as well as U.S. Attorney Sutton’s office.
Regarding the letter, during sworn testimony Leonhart claimed that Gonzalez should have cleared the letter with her office prior to sending it. She also said in the past, “I remember occasions when he would have issues with the U.S. Attorney’s office and would even show me a draft letter before he went and sent it or would talk to headquarters and get some guidance before he would send it.” This came as a surprise to Gonzalez and he made it clear during his rebuttal testimony that was not DEA procedure as he was a Senior DEA Executive in charge of a Field Division and had the authority to sign official correspondence on behalf of DEA in his division.
According to Gonzalez’ letter, “Following the August murder of Fernando LNU in 2003, ICE agents requested several country clearances for the informant to travel to Juarez. They continued sending the informant to Juarez while failing to report his activities to DEA as required by internal agreements.”
The letter also included a meeting that took place right after the first murder between FBI, DEA and ICE to discuss the Mexican Police corruption matter as well as the murder. However, ICE blew the meeting off, according to Gonzalez. “This should have ended at the August 11, 2003 meeting.”
“Once it was known that at least 12 murders had taken place at the house, ICE would not let Lalo give a statement to the Mexican authorities for several weeks,” Gonzalez said. “He finally gave his statement regarding the violence and brutality that took place in Juarez from August 2003 to January 2004.”
According to Gonzalez, “weeks later, when Lalo was finally made available to DEA for debriefing, ICE set up some ground rules notifying all parties that Lalo could not be asked about his activities prior to January 14, 2004.”
Gonzalez maintains this game playing by the U.S. amounts to nothing more than obstructing an investigation. In his letter, he wrote “This situation is so bizarre; I have never come across such callous behavior by fellow law enforcement officers.”
Catherine O'Neil, director of the DOJ's Organized Crime Task Force, described Gonzalez’ letter as “inflammatory.” She passed on Sutton's fears to the then Attorney General, John Ashcroft and then to DEA Administrator Karen Tandy.
Tandy explains she was horrified by Gonzalez' letter. “I apologized to Johnny Sutton last night and he and I agreed on a ‘no comment’ to the press.”
Gonzalez would be removed from the House of Death case and ordered not to talk about it to the press.
As a result of conflicting reports about the situation by both DEA and ICE, a Joint Assessment Team was convened to review the situation. More than 40 people were interviewed on both sides of the border. According to Gonzalez, he was blocked from gaining a copy of the report, though during his civil trial then Deputy Administrator Leonhart stated he had been informed he’d get a copy of it.
“There have been several Freedom of Information Act requests for this document,” said Andy Ramirez of the Law Enforcement Officers Advocates Council who has been following this case. “I think the JAT report would answer a lot of questions concerning the mishandling of the House of Death case. If everything is kosher why not release the report?”
Gonzalez concurs, “They (ICE and DEA) needed to get their stories straight. It was clear that DEA and ICE had a strained relationship and there was a lot of finger pointing, but in the end DEA was out of the loop. We had the wisdom to deactivate Lalo when he tried to cross the U.S. border with 100 pounds of marijuana, however; ICE kept him around.”
The letter Gonzalez wrote would be validated by the findings in the JAT report and to this day Gonzalez has never been challenged on the facts he presented in his letter.
“The proof is in the pudding,” Gonzalez said. “The jury didn’t buy anything that the government was saying during my civil trial, and I won.”
Adding to this is the simple fact that on page 516 of the official trial record, then Deputy Administrator Leonhart testified in regards to responsibility over the House of Death, “ICE was responsible, yes…ICE caused the incident.”
Coincidentally, four of the five agency employees who testified against Gonzalez were presidential appointees, and three seemed okay with what took place within the House of Death case. They were not hesitant to throw Gonzalez under the bus for questioning it in writing.
****
This would be the beginning of the end for Lalo. He simply faded into the Texas backdrop until August of 2004 when someone tried to shoot him in El Paso He escaped injury, when he had a fellow snitch go on his behalf instead.
Lalo was then taken into protective custody and in May 2005, ICE, the agency that had cherished him, began legal proceedings to deport him to Mexico. This amounted to a death sentence for an ex-Mexican police officer turned drug dealer turned U.S. snitch.
Why send a former U.S. snitch who earned more than $250,000 from Uncle Sam to certain death. Obama made sure the Uighurs from China were released from Gitmo to Bermuda because they would have been murdered if they returned to China.
In a recent statement from DOJ, “I am told that this is a matter currently in litigation and we would, therefore, not be able to comment,” said Charles Miller of the Department of Justice. Yet, when pressed about the case against Santillan has been closed, DOJ declined to answer.
A similar answer came from the DEA; “The DEA will not comment on this deportation matter because immigration matters in general are outside our jurisdiction, and this case specifically was not a DEA case. In addition, DEA does not speak for DOJ on policy matters.”
Basically, DEA continues its stance on not commenting regarding the deportation of Lalo to Mexico, which amounts to a death sentence. It is also worth pointing out that if Lalo dies, so does the embarrassment of the House of Death incident for the U.S.
And finally ICE had no comment regarding their former informant, Lalo.
All the while the record shows that Acting Administrator Leonhart stated under oath that ICE was responsible for the House of Death case.
Andy Ramirez who has worked and investigated legal cases against law enforcement officers as well as border security compromises sums it up best.
“The undeniable fact is that Attorney General Ashcroft, USA Johnny Sutton, and the Justice Department refused to prosecute Santillan for his role in the murders (in the plea deal for drugs), and any of the other key figures in this and other cases. This cadre clearly protected the bad guys at all costs by keeping them out of the courtroom where possible and sealing their crimes or cutting plea deals for lower crimes,” said Ramirez
“Of course the irony here is one can take the words from Sutton’s press briefings, releases and media tour, between 2006 and 2008, where he talks about agents he prosecuted for significantly lower crimes with distorted circumstantial evidence. For the most part, a pattern of hypocrisy and a clear lack of candor exists,” states Ramirez.
He continues, “In essence the U.S. Government’s Executive Branch (DOJ, DEA, DHS, & ICE) have conspired to cover this case up with their refusals to comment, as well as what are called ‘non-denial denials’ of the FOIA requests for the JAT report, and it all started when Sandy wrote his letter to ICE and Sutton.”
But as Ramirez testified before the House Homeland Security Committee in 2007, “Mexico does not know what corruption is, they come to El Paso to learn.”
“Nothing about this case, outside of their attempt to deport Lalo to certain death has been transparent. To me there is a clear-cut case for obstruction of justice by ordering Lalo not to wear the wire, conspiracy to obstruct when someone orders Sandy to not write any more memos and to not talk to the media, though Sutton clearly initiates that by calling DC and not talking with Sandy about it,” Ramirez explains.
“But what is most amazing is that unlike other patterns in cases I’ve observed, Mexico has not screamed foul. I’d say their silence has been quite deafening,” concluded Ramirez.
For part one of the House of Death; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner~y2009m11d2-House-of-Death-in-Juarez-prelude-to-a-massive-murder-coverup
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Blue Cross tells insurance agents- premiums will raise significantly if reform passes
In an effort to prepare Blue Cross health care insurance providers with ample time, the major insurance provider in California announced that premiums will rise significantly for individual and small businesses.
One Blue Cross agent wasn’t surprised by the inter-company memo. “This is the first step to eliminating my job,” said the agent who wished to remain unnamed. “Many of my customers will no longer be able to afford the increase and will opt out of Blue Cross.”
The memo suggested certain proposed reforms will result in lower-risk individuals who have lower premiums because they are healthily will face increased premium costs post health care reform.
“Additionally, other market reforms will generally increase premiums for everyone regardless of risk,” the Blue Cross memo explained.
Blue Cross says most insurance purchasers will see higher premium costs immediately after health care reform is passed, and it shows purchasers of average age and average health are expected to face higher premiums post-reform in any case.
For complete Blue Cross memo; http://www.wellpoint.com/newsroom/stats_facts.asp
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
One Blue Cross agent wasn’t surprised by the inter-company memo. “This is the first step to eliminating my job,” said the agent who wished to remain unnamed. “Many of my customers will no longer be able to afford the increase and will opt out of Blue Cross.”
The memo suggested certain proposed reforms will result in lower-risk individuals who have lower premiums because they are healthily will face increased premium costs post health care reform.
“Additionally, other market reforms will generally increase premiums for everyone regardless of risk,” the Blue Cross memo explained.
Blue Cross says most insurance purchasers will see higher premium costs immediately after health care reform is passed, and it shows purchasers of average age and average health are expected to face higher premiums post-reform in any case.
For complete Blue Cross memo; http://www.wellpoint.com/newsroom/stats_facts.asp
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Monday, November 2, 2009
It’s time to move on Afghanistan
After returning from Afghanistan over the weekend, Congressman Duncan Hunter-R CA called on the Obama Administration to accept Stanley McChrystal's strategy of sending more troops to the hostile region.
With the number of U.S. deaths on the rise, Rep. Hunter, who is a veteran of the wars in the Middle East, would like to see the White House make a swift decision to fight the counterinsurgency in Afghanistan.
“This trip to Afghanistan provided a great opportunity to learn more about the challenges facing our combat personnel and the efforts of military and civilian leadership to achieve victory,” said Hunter. “There appears to be unanimous agreement among military commanders and their civilian counterparts that additional combat troops are needed – and needed fast.”
Now that the Afghan Presidency has been decided, Hunter says it’s up to President Hamid Karzai to step up and provide the type of leadership that is needed to carry Afghanistan forward.
“Karzai must reassert himself as a strong national leader who is committed to fighting corruption, establishing the rule of law and creating new opportunities for the Afghan people,” he explained.
Hunter also would like to see the U.S. begin taking a leading role when it comes to training the Afghanistan military and law enforcement agencies.
“Training Afghanistan’s military and police forces must also be a priority, much like it was in Iraq at the time of the surge. Afghanistan is certainly not Iraq but we know from experience that a strong counterinsurgency strategy and well-trained security forces can put us on a direct path toward mission success."
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
With the number of U.S. deaths on the rise, Rep. Hunter, who is a veteran of the wars in the Middle East, would like to see the White House make a swift decision to fight the counterinsurgency in Afghanistan.
“This trip to Afghanistan provided a great opportunity to learn more about the challenges facing our combat personnel and the efforts of military and civilian leadership to achieve victory,” said Hunter. “There appears to be unanimous agreement among military commanders and their civilian counterparts that additional combat troops are needed – and needed fast.”
Now that the Afghan Presidency has been decided, Hunter says it’s up to President Hamid Karzai to step up and provide the type of leadership that is needed to carry Afghanistan forward.
“Karzai must reassert himself as a strong national leader who is committed to fighting corruption, establishing the rule of law and creating new opportunities for the Afghan people,” he explained.
Hunter also would like to see the U.S. begin taking a leading role when it comes to training the Afghanistan military and law enforcement agencies.
“Training Afghanistan’s military and police forces must also be a priority, much like it was in Iraq at the time of the surge. Afghanistan is certainly not Iraq but we know from experience that a strong counterinsurgency strategy and well-trained security forces can put us on a direct path toward mission success."
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
House of Death in Juarez, prelude to a massive murder cover-up
Blinded by death, shrouded in secrecy and driven by recklessness could be used to describe the Mexican drug cartels – however, these terms are used to describe our own government agency, ICE.
It started with cold-blooded murder and it ended with at least a dozen lives ripped apart all with the knowledge and approval of the U.S. government, which included the slaying of a U.S. citizen as well as related murder that took place in El Paso. The story line reads like a fiction novel by James Patterson, but the sad reality ends with cover-up after cover-up.
This tale begins in the summer of 2003 with a drug cartel attorney being lured to a non-descript house in a middle-class neighborhood in Ciudad Juarez. He is led to believe he will receive phone numbers for a New York player to distribute some “candy” or layman’s terms – drugs.
In the company of friends, Fernando lets his guard down unaware that somewhere in this den of horror are two Chihuahua State Police waiting for their opportunity to take down a once trusted friend.
In the blink of an eye, Fernando’s life is turned upside down and he knows the jig is up. He, in typical drug trafficker fashion, begins begging for his life, but also in typical drug cartel fashion death is a certainty and it will only be minutes for Fernando to meet his maker.
Unbeknownst to anyone in the room, there is a U.S. snitch recording the entire murder scene and as the struggle unfolds it is the snitch who adds assistance to the police in subduing Fernando’s last breathes of life.
The brutality is not yet over, unsure if the lawyer is dead; they grab a shovel and bash in the victim’s head and neck. Ironically, the shovel that finishes off Fernando will be used to bury him in the backyard.
This little house of horrors would come to be known as the ‘House of Death’ and would bare witness to at least eleven more murders all under the watchful eyes of the U.S. government.
The snitch, Lalo, aka Guillermo Eduardo Ramirez-Peyro would continue under Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) watchful eyes and earn approximately $250,000 for partaking in a 12-person crime-spree that should have ended with just one.
This murderous rampage went on for more than six months and nearly cost the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lives as well as immediate family members. How could an arm of the U.S. government let this go on for so long? How could they lend their name to grim reaper operations?
In the end, one DEA agent blew the whistle and ended the nonsense. Sandalio “Sandy” Gonzalez, special agent in charge of DEA in El Paso Texas.
Back in Juarez, the House of Death is beginning to get a name for itself. Lalo is there every step of the way. Lalo or Ramirez-Peyro begins his journey into crime like many other Mexican drug cartel members; Lalo was a federal highway patrolman for a year.
His natural progression leads him into the world of crime. Lalo begins his new life as a drug trafficker working on cocaine shipments from Colombia for the Medellin cartel. It is during this time the Mexican drug cartels are on the rise. The Americans were successful in bringing down the world’s most famous Colombian drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar.
It is now when three Mexican cartels begin the Federation, Juarez, Tijuana and the Gulf all begin their push to dominate the drug business. If you’re wondering why Mexico is the next big drug capital, more than 80 percent of the world’s drug supply is consumed by a very hungry U.S. customer.
Lalo begins his rise in the drug business and takes note of the high rate of mysterious disappearances of coworkers. Lopping off of heads, suffocation and ice picking are on the rise south of the border and Lalo wants an out. He reads a newspaper advertisement in which the U.S. is looking for informants.
He meets his eventual handler, Raul Bencomo, a U.S. Customs agent and Lalo, informant 913 begins his perceived-noble career as an informant. In the grand scheme of things Lalo is just a number, one that would result in U.S. participation in murder and a string of cover-ups.
The war on drugs is in full swing and the government and police are not winning. The U.S. DEA office launches a joint task force named “Operation Sky High.” The jest of the operation is to work with Mexican counterparts to bring down the drug cartels with shared information.
“We (DEA) do our best to work with informants in a legal way,” said Gonzalez. “It’s hard top fight a war on a substance which is exactly what the U.S. Government has claimed to do dating back to 1973.”
In his typical matter of fact manner, Gonzalez explains fighting wars is for the military. He also points out that law enforcement’s job is to apprehend criminal elements within society’s underworld.
One of the targets is Lalo’s boss, Heriberto Santillan-Tabares who runs the Juarez cartel activities. As an informant Lalo provides good information to his handlers. The pieces are coming together and an architectural case is beginning to unfold.
Then Lalo gets greedy and is popped by Border Patrol in New Mexico with 100 pounds of marijuana. He is initially deactivated by the DEA but his ICE handlers think he is too valuable to let go and they give him a second chance.
This is a point of contention with Gonzalez. “The DEA made the right call in letting Lalo go. It was ICE’s management mistake to keep him on the payroll.”
After a night of drinking with his boss, Santillan, Lalo learns of an execution taking place the next day. This gives the informant some pause and his paranoia leads him to believe he will be the victim.
A phone call to his handlers, yields the first acknowledged murder, it would not be Lalo, but Santillan’s childhood friend-turned-attorney.
ICE receives a full accounting of the slaying two days later and learns of Lalo’s participation. However, after U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton’s office and El Paso ICE agents advised their Washington D.C. and Mexico City counterparts, Lalo is given the green light to continue carrying on his double-agent status.
After this meeting Lalo is ordered to not wear the wire for ICE.
Once the DEA in Juarez learns of the murder they begin legwork to find the body and recommend taking down Santillan as soon as possible. ICE blows off a meeting with the Juarez DEA and continue full steam ahead.
The murders continue through the fall into the winter. It is here that Lalo understands the term his boss refers to as ‘carne asada’- it translates into torture and execution. ICE decides to wire tap Lalo and Santillan’s phones leaving the U.S. agencies open to allegations as co-conspirators in murder.
This continues to be the norm for the next days and weeks to come. Lalo claims he is told about each and every carne asada that takes place at the House of Death. He also claims to inform his handlers in ICE.
The drug cartels maintain their power through the use of violence and brutality. Their wealth increases on a daily basis and their yearly net worth is said to be in the $10 billion range.
During the last of the murders at the House of Death, Santillan learns an address of a man he believes has a large stash of dope living in Juarez. Santillan flies off the handle when he finds the exact address and plans his attack. However, it is by pure happenstance they found out about the DEA agent, Homer McBrayer and his family.
Luckily, McBrayer is called by his frantic wife. He returns home and plans his escape immediately. With his family tucked inside the car, McBrayer attempts to flee from Mexico.
Unfortunately for ICE the car is pulled over by a marked Juarez police car, which leads to Santillan calling Lalo to check on the identity of the occupants in the car were. Once, Lalo checks with his ICE handlers and learns that this death squad has a DEA agent in their sight, that’s when ICE notifies DEA that its personnel is at risk in Juarez. DEA then evacuates their personnel from Juarez.
This is a lesson learned by the bad guys after the infamous murder of DEA Agent Kiki Camerena in the 1980s is don't kill DEA agents, which is why they let them go.
Another ICE agent explains that south of the border; Mexicans live by the “Plata o Plomo” rule, “silver wins over lead.”
This ICE agent, who wished to remain anonymous, says “ICE is so screwed up that the running joke is they would probably give an immigrant visa to Osama Bin Laden.”
Looking back at the mistakes that plagued the House of Death case, ICE has a lot of explaining to do, yet to this day an investigation into the alleged wrongdoings misdoings of the U.S. government have yet to see the light of day, according to a source within ICE.
At this point it’s game over and the cover-up begins.
Coming part two
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
It started with cold-blooded murder and it ended with at least a dozen lives ripped apart all with the knowledge and approval of the U.S. government, which included the slaying of a U.S. citizen as well as related murder that took place in El Paso. The story line reads like a fiction novel by James Patterson, but the sad reality ends with cover-up after cover-up.
This tale begins in the summer of 2003 with a drug cartel attorney being lured to a non-descript house in a middle-class neighborhood in Ciudad Juarez. He is led to believe he will receive phone numbers for a New York player to distribute some “candy” or layman’s terms – drugs.
In the company of friends, Fernando lets his guard down unaware that somewhere in this den of horror are two Chihuahua State Police waiting for their opportunity to take down a once trusted friend.
In the blink of an eye, Fernando’s life is turned upside down and he knows the jig is up. He, in typical drug trafficker fashion, begins begging for his life, but also in typical drug cartel fashion death is a certainty and it will only be minutes for Fernando to meet his maker.
Unbeknownst to anyone in the room, there is a U.S. snitch recording the entire murder scene and as the struggle unfolds it is the snitch who adds assistance to the police in subduing Fernando’s last breathes of life.
The brutality is not yet over, unsure if the lawyer is dead; they grab a shovel and bash in the victim’s head and neck. Ironically, the shovel that finishes off Fernando will be used to bury him in the backyard.
This little house of horrors would come to be known as the ‘House of Death’ and would bare witness to at least eleven more murders all under the watchful eyes of the U.S. government.
The snitch, Lalo, aka Guillermo Eduardo Ramirez-Peyro would continue under Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) watchful eyes and earn approximately $250,000 for partaking in a 12-person crime-spree that should have ended with just one.
This murderous rampage went on for more than six months and nearly cost the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lives as well as immediate family members. How could an arm of the U.S. government let this go on for so long? How could they lend their name to grim reaper operations?
In the end, one DEA agent blew the whistle and ended the nonsense. Sandalio “Sandy” Gonzalez, special agent in charge of DEA in El Paso Texas.
Back in Juarez, the House of Death is beginning to get a name for itself. Lalo is there every step of the way. Lalo or Ramirez-Peyro begins his journey into crime like many other Mexican drug cartel members; Lalo was a federal highway patrolman for a year.
His natural progression leads him into the world of crime. Lalo begins his new life as a drug trafficker working on cocaine shipments from Colombia for the Medellin cartel. It is during this time the Mexican drug cartels are on the rise. The Americans were successful in bringing down the world’s most famous Colombian drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar.
It is now when three Mexican cartels begin the Federation, Juarez, Tijuana and the Gulf all begin their push to dominate the drug business. If you’re wondering why Mexico is the next big drug capital, more than 80 percent of the world’s drug supply is consumed by a very hungry U.S. customer.
Lalo begins his rise in the drug business and takes note of the high rate of mysterious disappearances of coworkers. Lopping off of heads, suffocation and ice picking are on the rise south of the border and Lalo wants an out. He reads a newspaper advertisement in which the U.S. is looking for informants.
He meets his eventual handler, Raul Bencomo, a U.S. Customs agent and Lalo, informant 913 begins his perceived-noble career as an informant. In the grand scheme of things Lalo is just a number, one that would result in U.S. participation in murder and a string of cover-ups.
The war on drugs is in full swing and the government and police are not winning. The U.S. DEA office launches a joint task force named “Operation Sky High.” The jest of the operation is to work with Mexican counterparts to bring down the drug cartels with shared information.
“We (DEA) do our best to work with informants in a legal way,” said Gonzalez. “It’s hard top fight a war on a substance which is exactly what the U.S. Government has claimed to do dating back to 1973.”
In his typical matter of fact manner, Gonzalez explains fighting wars is for the military. He also points out that law enforcement’s job is to apprehend criminal elements within society’s underworld.
One of the targets is Lalo’s boss, Heriberto Santillan-Tabares who runs the Juarez cartel activities. As an informant Lalo provides good information to his handlers. The pieces are coming together and an architectural case is beginning to unfold.
Then Lalo gets greedy and is popped by Border Patrol in New Mexico with 100 pounds of marijuana. He is initially deactivated by the DEA but his ICE handlers think he is too valuable to let go and they give him a second chance.
This is a point of contention with Gonzalez. “The DEA made the right call in letting Lalo go. It was ICE’s management mistake to keep him on the payroll.”
After a night of drinking with his boss, Santillan, Lalo learns of an execution taking place the next day. This gives the informant some pause and his paranoia leads him to believe he will be the victim.
A phone call to his handlers, yields the first acknowledged murder, it would not be Lalo, but Santillan’s childhood friend-turned-attorney.
ICE receives a full accounting of the slaying two days later and learns of Lalo’s participation. However, after U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton’s office and El Paso ICE agents advised their Washington D.C. and Mexico City counterparts, Lalo is given the green light to continue carrying on his double-agent status.
After this meeting Lalo is ordered to not wear the wire for ICE.
Once the DEA in Juarez learns of the murder they begin legwork to find the body and recommend taking down Santillan as soon as possible. ICE blows off a meeting with the Juarez DEA and continue full steam ahead.
The murders continue through the fall into the winter. It is here that Lalo understands the term his boss refers to as ‘carne asada’- it translates into torture and execution. ICE decides to wire tap Lalo and Santillan’s phones leaving the U.S. agencies open to allegations as co-conspirators in murder.
This continues to be the norm for the next days and weeks to come. Lalo claims he is told about each and every carne asada that takes place at the House of Death. He also claims to inform his handlers in ICE.
The drug cartels maintain their power through the use of violence and brutality. Their wealth increases on a daily basis and their yearly net worth is said to be in the $10 billion range.
During the last of the murders at the House of Death, Santillan learns an address of a man he believes has a large stash of dope living in Juarez. Santillan flies off the handle when he finds the exact address and plans his attack. However, it is by pure happenstance they found out about the DEA agent, Homer McBrayer and his family.
Luckily, McBrayer is called by his frantic wife. He returns home and plans his escape immediately. With his family tucked inside the car, McBrayer attempts to flee from Mexico.
Unfortunately for ICE the car is pulled over by a marked Juarez police car, which leads to Santillan calling Lalo to check on the identity of the occupants in the car were. Once, Lalo checks with his ICE handlers and learns that this death squad has a DEA agent in their sight, that’s when ICE notifies DEA that its personnel is at risk in Juarez. DEA then evacuates their personnel from Juarez.
This is a lesson learned by the bad guys after the infamous murder of DEA Agent Kiki Camerena in the 1980s is don't kill DEA agents, which is why they let them go.
Another ICE agent explains that south of the border; Mexicans live by the “Plata o Plomo” rule, “silver wins over lead.”
This ICE agent, who wished to remain anonymous, says “ICE is so screwed up that the running joke is they would probably give an immigrant visa to Osama Bin Laden.”
Looking back at the mistakes that plagued the House of Death case, ICE has a lot of explaining to do, yet to this day an investigation into the alleged wrongdoings misdoings of the U.S. government have yet to see the light of day, according to a source within ICE.
At this point it’s game over and the cover-up begins.
Coming part two
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
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