CommentsPERSPECTIVE--On November 23rd. NPR Reporter Brian Naylor wrote and reported that President -elect Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Alejandro Mayorkas, a Cuban American to head and become the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Mayorkas if confirmed would be the first Latino and the first immigrant to hold this position.
The Secretary of Homeland Security leads the third largest Department of the United States Government with a workforce of over 230 thousand employees. This department has more than 22 components to and include, TSA, CUSTOMS, BORDER PROTECTION, IMMIGRATION CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT, US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES, EEMA, COAST GUARD, SECRET SERVICE, FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINNING CENTERS, NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS DIRECTORATE AND THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE.
Under the Secretary's leadership DHS is responsible for counterterrorism, cybersecurity, aviation security, border security, port security , maritime security , administration and enforcement of our immigration laws. Protection of our national leaders and protection of US critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, detection of and protection against chemical, biological and nuclear threats to the homeland of the United States and response to disasters.
As one can see what a major job responsibility the Secretary of Homeland Security has. Because of the Zeitgeist of the time this nominated position as the head of DHS can best be described perhaps as the most important position held by anyone next to the President and Vice President of the United States.
Days after the attempted coup, mob attack and insurrection at our United States Capitol, Acting US, Homeland Security Chad Wolf resigns. There are many unanswered questions. As Wolf was overseas in the Middle East on January 6th.one must ask what did he know in advance of the attempted takeover of our US Capitol? It is hoped that the new incoming United States Attorney General will open up a major investigation to and include concerns surrounding Wolf.
Remembering that 5 individuals died and scores more were injured. We saw and observed first-hand how divided our Nation is. Those involved in the attempted takeover of our Capitol were members of various groups, Neo-Nazi’, White Supremacists, QAnon (believers that Democratic leaders believe in Satanic Worship, cannibalism and the practice of Pedophilia ) .We also saw the far right religious groups that practiced Anti-Semitism, against Immigration rights and the rights of the LGBTQ community. We also saw sworn members of various law enforcement agencies storm our National Capitol. We have learned that members of our own Los Angeles Police Department were involved in this attempted takeover of our US Capitol. Those LAPD officers should all be fired. They don't represent the Mission Statement of the LAPD.
Now more than ever we need for our NEW Secretary of DHS to be an individual of the highest Character, one who has integrity, honesty, courage, loyalty and fortitude. One who will place the overall welfare and safety of all Americans first and foremost.
During the last weeks or days of a Presidents term in office it is customary to grant pardons and commutations. Like it or not the President has the legal right to carry out this act.
Let’s go back in time to the era of the Clinton Presidency. On President Clintons last day in office he gave pardons and commutations to 140 individuals. One of those commutations stands out among the 140.
Review of the US House of Representatives Report Justice Undone: Clemency Decisions in the Clinton White House. On March 14, 2002, the Report was approved and a copy was sent to the Speaker of the House.
Carlos Vignali was the son of a very wealthy businessman Horacio Vignali from Los Angeles. Father Vignali was known to donate large sums of money to Democratic politicians and other Democratic office holders after his son's conviction for the sale and distribution of cocaine. Carlos Vignali had been convicted of helping to convert 800 pounds of powder cocaine to crack which was then sold in the state of Minnesota.
Carlos Vignali was tried for the criminal offense listed above and received a 15-year Federal prison sentence.
During Carlos Vignali's clemency petition he lied and continued to maintain his innocence, despite overwhelming evidence of his involvement in selling a substantial amount of cocaine across state lines and his involvement in a large-scale illegal drug distribution network.
During Carlos' incarceration his father Horacio made contact with Hugh Rodham who then made contacts with numerous elected officials requesting that they write letters to President Clinton on behalf of Horacio's son Carlos requesting a pardon and or commutation for his son.
Review of the complete report Justice Undone notes that Hugh Rodham received a very large sum of money from Horacio Vignali for his role in contacting the elected officials which included various heads of major federal agencies, individuals who held high positions in religious corners and heads of various law enforcement agencies all located in the greater Los Angeles area and or those who represented the greater Los Angeles area.
What is of major concern that each of the below listed individuals who wrote letters to President Clinton in support for the early prison release for Carlos Vignali made no attempt what so ever to review the criminal file on Carlos Vignali and or contact Federal District Court Judge David Doty or make any attempt what so ever to contact US Attorney Todd Jones in Minneapolis.
Those who wrote letters to President Clinton on behalf of Carlos Vignali were Cardinal Roger Mahony (now Mahony at the very least should have been arrested and charged with Obstruction of Justice by former Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti the father of current Los Angeles City Mayor, Eric Garcetti. ) Then Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca currently serving a prison time in a Federal prison facility, Xavier Becerra at the time when he was a US Congressman, then Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and then US Attorney Central District – Los Angeles Alejandro Mayorkas.
As a retired member of the Law Enforcement Community it can be stated that former LA County Sheriff Lee Baca and former US Attorney Alejandro Mayorkas both failed to do their due diligence prior to writing letters and or making telephone calls to the White House in support of Carlos Vignali stating that he was a man with high integrity even if he was convicted for a major drug offense
Former White House Counsel Bruce Lindsey spotlighted Baca’s and Mayorkas role in the final decision Lindsey told a congressional hearing that he went along with Carlos Vignali early release , saying if Baca and Mayorkas “ were not concerned about him coming back to their community, that I thought it was an appropriate commutation.”
Carlos Vignali only completed 6 years of his 15-year prison sentence.
If only Mayorkas had contacted other Federal investigators then he would have learned that for many years Federal Drug Investigators and the FBI believed that it was Horacio Vignali who was the actual person running the illegal drug ring.
Mayorkas should have known as a United States Attorney that anyone involved in large scale distribution of any type of illegal drugs involves the use of violence, possible loss of life and the use of firearms.
Prior to anyone being named or appointed to a high important position within our government they all go through a very complete and comprehensive vetting process.
Because this incident took place so many years ago was it deliberately overlooked during Mayorkas vetting process? This is an important issue for conversation ?
Now I ask all is Alejandro Mayorkas the right person for this very important position , Secretary of Homeland Security ?
