BUSH/ASHCROFT REWARDED MIAMI INS DIRECTOR WITH PROMOTION TO
REGIONAL DIRECTOR POSITION
Robert Wallis Admits "Proudest Moment of His Life" Was When
INS Agent Held Shotgun To Peaceful Protester's Head During Illegal Raid On
Elian Gonzalez's Family Home In Miami's "Little Havana"
(Miami) Judicial Watch, the public interest law firm that investigates
and prosecutes government corruption and abuse, took the sworn testimony
of Robert Wallis today, wherein the former Miami INS director revealed that
he was selected for promotion to Regional INS Director and transferred to
Texas in April 2001, under the Bush Administration and Attorney General John
Ashcroft.
Wallis admitted, under examination by Judicial Watch Chairman and General
Counsel Larry Klayman, that the "proudest moment of his life" was captured
in an Associated Press photograph of INS Supervisory Special Agent
Gwenn Reed holding a shotgun to the head of a prone and "spread-eagle" protestor
"“ Mario Miranda "“ during the illegal INS raid to return young
Elian Gonzalez to Communist Cuba. Mr. Miranda is a retired Miami police officer
and was responsible for safety and security around the Gonzalez home. Wallis'
testimony came during a Merit Systems Protection Board hearing for INS
whistleblower and Judicial Watch client Rick Ramirez. Mr. Ramirez "blew the
whistle" on anti-Cuban and anti-Hispanic bigotry in the Miami INS office,
as well as INS supervisors' orders to destroy all documents and computer
records concerning the Elian Gonzalez saga. Earlier testimony from INS attorney
Diana Alvarez confirmed that the orders to destroy documents and records
came from INS Commissioner Doris Meissner.
Wallis confirmed that he was aware of Mr. Ramirez's whistleblower disclosures,
and of the pervasive anti-Cuban and anti-Hispanic bigotry in the Miami INS
office.
Judicial Watch, as counsel for Special Agent Ramirez, has made repeated requests
for over one year to Attorney General Ashcroft, asking that he take action
in this matter.
"It is shocking that rather than take steps to clean out the Miami office
of anti-Cuban and Hispanic prejudice, that instead Ashcroft and his Bush
administration rewarded, with a promotion, the district director responsible
for the prejudice. This shows insensitivity to the rights of Hispanics,"
stated Judicial Watch Chairman and General Counsel Larry Klayman.
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