Bush pardons border patrol agents

[casingpoint]

What sort of a message does that send?

Well, it tells me that if I can't be in the United States legally, I'd better not go there, much less pedal drugs.

[03Lightningrocks]

What sort of a message does that send?

Well, it tells me that if I can't be in the United States legally, I'd better not go there, much less pedal drugs.

AMAN to that.

[nuparadigm]

I thought that this tread was on the Agents' commutation of sentences by a President, not on their innocence or guilt.

[929bigo]

I don't have a lot of simpathy for drug-running illegals. They certainly don't care at all about the lives they ruin here in the States with their drugs, so I don't really care about them. Hey, drug runnin' is a dangerious game. Don't play it--don't get shot...in the back of otherwise.

Michael

[TacShot]

IMHO, they were not pardoned because it would have been an embarrassment to Johnny Sutton, a Bush appointee. Sutton was in tight with Bush and Gonzales from the Governor of Texas era. They were not about to reverse him from the day the verdict came down. Sadly, it's as simple as that when it comes to politics. See the following excerpt from the DOJ website:

Mr. Sutton also serves as the chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) which plays a significant role in determining policies and programs of the Department and in carrying out the national goals set by the President and the Attorney General.
The AGAC consists of 17 members appointed by the Attorney General and represents different judicial circuits, various-sized offices, and expertise. Mr. Sutton also serves on the Border and Immigration Law Enforcement Subcommittee of the AGAC.
Prior to becoming United States Attorney, Mr. Sutton served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and as a Policy Coordinator for the Bush-Cheney Transition Team assigned to the Department of Justice.
Mr. Sutton served as the Criminal Justice Policy Director for then-Governor George W. Bush from 1995-2000, advising the Governor on all criminal justice issues, with specific oversight in the areas of criminal law, prison capacity and management, parole operations and legislative initiatives.