Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent Jose Compean embraces his daughter Patricia Compean following a hearing at the U.S. Federal Courthouse in El Paso on Wednesday
Compean and former agent Ignacio Ramos were convicted in 2006 of shooting admitted drug smuggler Osvaldo Aldrete Davila and trying to cover it up.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out some convictions against Ramos and Compean earlier this year, prompting Wednesday’s resentencing, but the court upheld the majority of the case. Ramos is due to be resentenced Thursday.
Compean’s lawyers said Wednesday they are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. One of his attorneys, Bob Baskett, didn’t immediately respond to calls seeking details on the review Wednesday.
Supporters, including members of Congress, have asked President Bush to pardon the men or at least commute their sentences.
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The Circus is back in town – Comments open on new Cross Border Trucking Program
From E-Trucker
The Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee is having two public sessions to discuss guidance for implementing a new cross-border trucking program between the United States and Mexico.
President Obama has asked the Department of Transportation to work with the U.S. Trade Representative, the Department of State, Congressional and Mexican officials to propose legislation creating a new trucking project that will meet Congressional concerns and North American Free Trade Agreement commitments.
FMCSA has invited all interested parties to participate, such as motor carriers and drivers.
The meeting will be held by conference call. To participate, contact Shannon Watson at (202) 385-2395, or via e-mail at shannon.watson@dot.gov by May 13, to receive information on how to access the call.
People can also submit written comment to the committee, along with the Federal Docket Management System Docket Number FMCSA-2006-26367 using any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov.
• Fax: 202-493-2251.
• Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., West Building, Room W12-140, Washington, D.C. 20590.
Me wonders just how ridiculous and off point the comments will be this time around. I remember when comments were opened on 2007-28055, of the more than 2400 comments, fully 98% of them were off point, as the FMCSA noted in it’s Federal Register announcement of the original Cross Border Program.
The 18 month that the original program was in place showed us that the Mexican carriers are fully capable and qualified to operate in our regulatory environment, a point made early on in this forum.
The comments from 28055, from the nativists, the mexenophobes and others who were convinced that allowing a few more Mexican trucks in the country would result in catastrophic accidents, increased smuggling of contraband, and introduction of the terrorist elements into this country were totally unfounded and the result of the fear mongering tactics of the opposition.
I’m sure we can expect more of the same this time around, and with the same predictable result.
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