Elian Trial Continues With Klayman To Call Homeland Security Witnesses Will Testify on Gassings and Beatings on 2000 Easter Weekend.Anti-Hispanic Hatred Inside Department.
On Friday, January 28, 2005, Larry Klayman, founder of Judicial Watch, former Chairman of Judicial Watch and U.S. Senate candidate from Florida, and now with The Klayman Law Firm, will call as witnesses three persons from the Department of Homeland Security who have evidence of anti-Hispanic prejudice and hatred inside of Immigration and Naturalization Service at the time that peaceful bystanders were gassed and beaten by the agents of former Attorney General Janet Reno. The attacks occurred on Easter Weekend 2000, when Elian Gonzalez was forcibly removed from the custody of his Miami relatives prior to his return to Cuba.
Anti-Hispanic feeling?
The witnesses include Rick Ramirez, a Special Agent who participated in the raid, and who observed the hatred inside the INS Miami office prior to the raid. Specifically, he will testify about signs that were hung inside the personnel office telling Cubans to go back on banana boats to Cuba, since they steal, like Jews, from the American people. Nazi swastikas were also hung in the office. This and other evidence of racist bias are, as plaintiffs allege, what caused Reno's agents to gas and beat the peaceful bystanders, who were simply praying for Elian's freedom at the time of the raid. The evidence is important to prove that the agents intended to inflict emotional distress on the victims. Special Agent Ramirez' testimony will be buttressed by two lawyers of the Department, Diane Alvarez and Rebecca Sanchez Roig, who have corroborating evidence.
Janet Reno
The Bush Justice Department has been doing everything it can to try to prevent this testimony from being presented to the court. In light of President Bush's call for freedom in his inauguration address, he is not being well served by his Justice Department when it tries to obstruct the presentation of evidence about such a serious matter. Ironically, the President owes his election in 2000 to the Miami Cuban community, which put him over the top in Florida.
President Bush
"Freedom begins at home," said Larry Klayman, who is representing one of the key plaintiffs, Sandra Cobas. "When you can't even pray for Elian's freedom without being attacked by government thugs, then how can we have the moral authority to bring freedom to other peoples around the world. It is time that the government make amends, and not waste U.S. taxpayers' money defending the misdeeds of Janet Reno and her Justice Department," he added.
Elian and his father
