OUTRAGE: Obama's Choice for Immigration Chief Got Clinton to Commute Drug Kingpin's Sentence, Likely Took Bribes
By Debbie Schlussel
Why did Barack Obama pick a man who got a drug kingpin out of prison, as the top man deciding who becomes a U.S. citizen?
Remember when President Clinton commuted the 15 year sentence for drug kingpin Carlos Vignali? Vignali served only about 6 years of his sentence, less than half of what he was supposed to serve for transporting 800 pounds of cocaine to Minnesota to be converted for sale as crack.
Vignali, Hispanic and the son of a wealthy Democratic campaign donor, barely did any time, while the small fish who worked for him--most of them Black and poor--continued to serve long sentences.
New Obama Immigration Chief Alejandro MayorkasSprung Drug Kingpin Carlos Vignali From Prison Well, the reason Clinton commuted Vignali's sentence was a man named Alejandro Mayorkas, then the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. Mayorkas called Clinton and his Justice Department lobbying for Vignali's commutation and release from federal prison to freedom. A subsequent Congressional investigation criticized his actions in this episode. Who knows how much money Vignali's father paid Mayorkas for this successful effort? The senior Vignali paid Hillary Clinton's bro, Hugh Rodham, over $200K to lobby his Brother-in-Law-in-Chief to do the same kind of lobbying as Mayorkas did for Vignali's freedom. Even the Latino Polics blog believes that Mayorkas took a pay-off from Horacio Vignali, believed to be his son's drug supplier.
Now, Barack Hussein Obama has nominated this corrupt figure, Mayorkas, to head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)--the agency which decides who becomes a U.S. citizen and who does not, the agency which gives out green cards, certain visas, and other immigration benefits.
From a 2002 L.A. Times article on Mayorkas' outrageous behavior:
Think again. If the price is right, he's apparently the go to guy to get your inconvenient background "conveniently overlooked."
Predictably, clueless Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano a/k/a "The Lesbionic Woman" thinks this is just terrif:
Do we really want a guy who helped get a drug kingpin out of federal prison, deciding that people with similar people will get U.S. citizenship?
Well, with 60 votes in the U.S. Senate, we'll likely have no choice. I guess we shouldn't be surprised. After all, Obama's Attorney General, Eric Holder, also was instrumental in the Vignali commutation. Let's see if--unlike at the Holder confirmation hearings--any U.S. Senator has the guts to ask Mayorkas about his actions on behalf of the Vignalis. Doubtful.
Holder was right. We are a "nation of cowards." If we weren't, we'd hold Obama and his boys, Holder and Mayorkas, responsible for their disgusting soft on crime behavior, and they'd be living in disgrace, not holding cabinet and federal agency chief positions.
Nauseating.
America . . . desperate, but not serious.
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By Debbie Schlussel
Why did Barack Obama pick a man who got a drug kingpin out of prison, as the top man deciding who becomes a U.S. citizen?
Remember when President Clinton commuted the 15 year sentence for drug kingpin Carlos Vignali? Vignali served only about 6 years of his sentence, less than half of what he was supposed to serve for transporting 800 pounds of cocaine to Minnesota to be converted for sale as crack.
Vignali, Hispanic and the son of a wealthy Democratic campaign donor, barely did any time, while the small fish who worked for him--most of them Black and poor--continued to serve long sentences.
New Obama Immigration Chief Alejandro MayorkasSprung Drug Kingpin Carlos Vignali From Prison Well, the reason Clinton commuted Vignali's sentence was a man named Alejandro Mayorkas, then the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California. Mayorkas called Clinton and his Justice Department lobbying for Vignali's commutation and release from federal prison to freedom. A subsequent Congressional investigation criticized his actions in this episode. Who knows how much money Vignali's father paid Mayorkas for this successful effort? The senior Vignali paid Hillary Clinton's bro, Hugh Rodham, over $200K to lobby his Brother-in-Law-in-Chief to do the same kind of lobbying as Mayorkas did for Vignali's freedom. Even the Latino Polics blog believes that Mayorkas took a pay-off from Horacio Vignali, believed to be his son's drug supplier.
Now, Barack Hussein Obama has nominated this corrupt figure, Mayorkas, to head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)--the agency which decides who becomes a U.S. citizen and who does not, the agency which gives out green cards, certain visas, and other immigration benefits.
From a 2002 L.A. Times article on Mayorkas' outrageous behavior:
Federal agents for more than 20 years suspected that a wealthy Los Angeles businessman, who recruited top Southern California law enforcement officials to persuade President Clinton to free his cocaine-dealing son, was involved in drug trafficking.
Horacio Vignali gained national attention last year as the dedicated father who successfully enlisted Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, former U.S. Atty. Alejandro Mayorkas and a host of elected officials in a longshot bid to win the early release of his son. Clinton eventually freed Carlos Vignali, who had served six years of a 15-year sentence for dealing kilos of cocaine.
A congressional inquiry into pardons and commutations granted by Clinton on his last day in office turned up confidential federal law enforcement reports containing unproven allegations that the elder Vignali also was in the cocaine business. One informant told the federal Drug Enforcement Administration that Vignali was his son's supplier. . . .
Yet the report raises pointed questions about whether local law enforcement leaders should have checked Vignali's background before describing him to the White House as a man of the highest integrity.
In the drug trial of his son, Carlos, prosecutors said the defendant showed no interest in making a deal for a lesser prison term by revealing who supplied him with the cocaine and instead went to trial despite strong evidence against him.
Todd Jones, the former U.S. attorney in Minneapolis, where the young Vignali was prosecuted, said investigators and prosecutors suspected "he did not want to snitch on his dad" or someone else very close to him.
"That's just logic," Jones said. "We knew it [the drug conspiracy] did not end with this 21-year-old kid, so obviously there was someone close to him that he was extremely loyal to and that he was willing to go to prison for, for a long time." . . .
[T]he House Committee on Government Reform . . . cited [that] this month in a report critical of Southern California politicians and the two law enforcement leaders who helped Vignali persuade Clinton.
The committee said Baca and Mayorkas would have had access to law enforcement files and should have checked them.
Do you really think Mayorkas will do a better job checking the backgrounds of aliens seeking permanent legal residence in America?Horacio Vignali gained national attention last year as the dedicated father who successfully enlisted Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, former U.S. Atty. Alejandro Mayorkas and a host of elected officials in a longshot bid to win the early release of his son. Clinton eventually freed Carlos Vignali, who had served six years of a 15-year sentence for dealing kilos of cocaine.
A congressional inquiry into pardons and commutations granted by Clinton on his last day in office turned up confidential federal law enforcement reports containing unproven allegations that the elder Vignali also was in the cocaine business. One informant told the federal Drug Enforcement Administration that Vignali was his son's supplier. . . .
Yet the report raises pointed questions about whether local law enforcement leaders should have checked Vignali's background before describing him to the White House as a man of the highest integrity.
In the drug trial of his son, Carlos, prosecutors said the defendant showed no interest in making a deal for a lesser prison term by revealing who supplied him with the cocaine and instead went to trial despite strong evidence against him.
Todd Jones, the former U.S. attorney in Minneapolis, where the young Vignali was prosecuted, said investigators and prosecutors suspected "he did not want to snitch on his dad" or someone else very close to him.
"That's just logic," Jones said. "We knew it [the drug conspiracy] did not end with this 21-year-old kid, so obviously there was someone close to him that he was extremely loyal to and that he was willing to go to prison for, for a long time." . . .
[T]he House Committee on Government Reform . . . cited [that] this month in a report critical of Southern California politicians and the two law enforcement leaders who helped Vignali persuade Clinton.
The committee said Baca and Mayorkas would have had access to law enforcement files and should have checked them.
Think again. If the price is right, he's apparently the go to guy to get your inconvenient background "conveniently overlooked."
Predictably, clueless Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano a/k/a "The Lesbionic Woman" thinks this is just terrif:
"I am proud to announce President Obama's intent to nominate Alejandro Mayorkas as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director. . . .
Alejandro's expertise covers a wide array of issues critical to the Department.
Uh-huh, like helping drug kingpins get out of the big house. This isn't a source of pride. It's an embarrassment.Alejandro's expertise covers a wide array of issues critical to the Department.
Do we really want a guy who helped get a drug kingpin out of federal prison, deciding that people with similar people will get U.S. citizenship?
Well, with 60 votes in the U.S. Senate, we'll likely have no choice. I guess we shouldn't be surprised. After all, Obama's Attorney General, Eric Holder, also was instrumental in the Vignali commutation. Let's see if--unlike at the Holder confirmation hearings--any U.S. Senator has the guts to ask Mayorkas about his actions on behalf of the Vignalis. Doubtful.
Holder was right. We are a "nation of cowards." If we weren't, we'd hold Obama and his boys, Holder and Mayorkas, responsible for their disgusting soft on crime behavior, and they'd be living in disgrace, not holding cabinet and federal agency chief positions.
Nauseating.
America . . . desperate, but not serious.
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