GOP Rep. warns Bush if border patrol agents die in prison 'there's going to be some kind of impeachment talk'

RAW STORYPublished: Thursday February 8, 2007

Several Republican lawmakers have sharply criticized the imprisonment of two border agents who were convicted of shooting a Mexican drug smuggler in the back and attempting to cover it up.

Appeals to President Bush to pardon the two men, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, have increased since one was assaulted by fellow inmates in a federal prison last weekend.

Yesterday, two Repulican Congressmen had strong words to say about Bush, with one even threatening impeachment.

"Reps. Walter Jones, R-N.C., and Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., blasted President Bush for not intervening in the case, with Rohrabacher hinting that he would consider pressing for impeachment if either of the two agents was killed in prison," Dave Montgomery reports for McClatchy Newspapers.

"Now, I tell you, Mr. President, if these men -- especially after this assault -- are murdered in prison, or if one of them lose their lives, there's going to be some kind of impeachment talk in Capitol Hill," Rohrabacher said.

McClatchy quotes Jones as saying that "the president has lost my respect because he will not step forward and do what's right."

Montgomery notes that this "case has become a cause celebre among conservative groups, which contend that Ramos and Compean were railroaded by overzealous federal prosecutors who gave the drug smuggler immunity to testify against the two agents."

According to the conservative Cybercast News Service, Rohrabacher slammed Bush for his "arrogance."

"The president of the United States talks a lot about his Christian charity, and his religious beliefs," Rohrabacher said. "He now is showing a mean-spirited side to him, an arrogance, in which he will turn his back."

Audio clip of Rohrabacher speaking on impeachment

LinkHere