Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has finally crossed the line into infamy. No, it is not because of the record level of border crossings with millions pouring into the country. It is not the obvious lack of confidence of the rank and file officers in Mayorkas. It is not even past controversies like his Orwellian “Disinformation Governance Board.”
No, it is because Mayorkas betrayed not just his agents but his oath to “well and faithfully discharge” the duties of his office in his handling of the “whipping scandal.” Some of us previously criticized Mayorkas for his failure to protect the agents falsely accused of whipping migrants along the Texas-Mexico border, even after the President promised that they would be punished before any investigation. Mayorkas joined in with the chorus of critics condemning the agents as an example of “systemic racism” in the government.
Now, according to newly acquired email records, it appears that Mayorkas knew hours before he made those statements that the story was false and that the photographer who took the photos expressly denied that any whipping occurred. Nevertheless, he supported President Biden’s and the media’s narrative and threw these agents under the proverbial bus.
What is interesting about this new evidence is that there is no good spin for a secretary known for almost planet-sized shifts. Either Mayorkas saw the email or he made little effort to discover the truth before trashing his own agents. The email went to various subordinates at the department and was based on public accounts. It would take willful blindness to avoid learning of the true story.
The level of duplicity in Mayorkas’ conduct is breathtaking. These mounted agents were ordered to the water’s edge to stop a huge influx of migrants from Haiti. Some of us contested the narrative early in the scandal, noting that the video refutes the false image created by the photos. The agents were clearly using the reins to direct their skittish horses, not whip migrants.
However, for many in politics and the media, it did not matter because it played into a racial-justice claim of the “whipping (of) Haitian asylum seekers.”
Democratic leaders joined the media and the mob. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) condemned “the inappropriate use of what appear to be whips by Border Patrol officers on horseback to intimidate migrants.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) decried “images of inhumane treatment of Haitian migrants by Border Patrol — including the use of whips.”
Vice President Kamala Harris emoted on “The View” about how the brutality “invoked images of some of the worst moments of our history, where that kind of behavior has been used against the Indigenous people of our country, it has been used against African Americans during times of slavery.” Reps. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) described the incident as “worse than what we witnessed in slavery” and “white supremacist behavior.”
However, it was the statement of the President that was most disturbing: “It was horrible what — to see, as you saw — to see people treated like they did: horses nearly running them over and people being strapped. It’s outrageous. I promise you, those people will pay. There will be an investigation underway now, and there will be consequences. There will be consequences.”
According to the new evidence acquired by the Heritage Foundation, the Administration was already aware that day that the whipping story was false. Shortly, after the President’s comments, on Sept. 24, 2021, Marsha Espinosa, assistant secretary of DHS public affairs, emailed Mayorkas and cc’d other DHS leadership, to make sure that they saw public stories refuting the claim.
Yet two and a half hours after receiving that email, Mayorkas went to the White House to support the President’s clearly false narrative. Indeed, the cabinet member who wanted a “Disinformation Governance Board” knowingly pushed disinformation impacting the lives and livelihoods of agents who serve under him.
Mayorkas declared how “Our nation saw horrifying images that do not reflect who we are. We know that those images painfully conjured up the worst elements of our nation’s ongoing battle against systemic racism.”
When later asked about “the whipping… the whips, the horse whips” by a reporter, Mayorkas again said that “that is something that horrified us all.”
Mayorkas continued to support the narrative and how conduct of the agents “defies all of the values that we seek to instill in our people.” He then promised swift justice with an investigation that would take “days, not weeks.”
In a column, I wrote that the opposite would be true. Because the claim was false and the President would be contradicted, the agency would drag out the investigation and then charge the agents with some minor violations to cover for the President.
That is precisely what occurred under Mayorkas. The agents were quietly cleared of the whipping allegations but found in violation of department regulations. The President, Mayorkas, and the media were all covered. The only people punished were the innocent agents who spent a year under suspension and had their personal and professional reputations shredded by the President of the United States and the Secretary of Homeland Security.
However, the agents simply do not matter in Washington nor does the due process or basic fairness denied to them by their leaders. They are just some grunts on mounts to be used by the powerful as they see fit. We expect them to answer the call to the literal river’s edge, but they remain expendable to political expediencies.
The innocence of these agents was immaterial when they became useful cutouts for a narrative of systemic racism. In the end, they had to be punished for something.
President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas did not even have the decency to apologize to these agents and their families. They are props, not people.
I have stated that I do not agree that the utter failure of Mayorkas to secure the border is grounds for impeachment. He is clearly following a lax policy of President Biden but such bad policy choices are not matters for impeachment in my view.
If there is any measure of decency and responsibility left in Washington, Mayorkas would resign. Ironically, he did precisely what the agents were accused of doing. He and the President flogged these agents in public because they did not warrant any respect or consideration. To use his own words, that is something that should horrify us all.
This column also appeared in Fox.com
We cannot continue to passively allow these psychopaths to be in positions of power over us. Silent no more! Vote in November!
For what, the exact same thing (i.e. liberal duopoly) over and over again?
Congress, if conservatives win, MUST rewrite a Naturalization Act, begin mass deportation, and impeach every last democrat, democrat appointee, RINO and RINO appointee, as hors d’oeuvres.
It’s perfectly reasonable for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, President Biden, and the mainstream media to throw the agents “under the proverbial bus”–even knowing their “migrant-whipping” story was false and that the photographer who took the photos expressly denied that any whipping occurred–as long as the “proverbial bus” is electric, rather than fossil-fuel, powered.
It was obvious to anyone who saw the photos that the story was BS. What concerns me even more is that VP Harris, who has no family ancestorial ties to the United States, doesn’t seem to realize that whipping was a common form of punishment used against whites in New England and elsewhere as well as black slaves guilty of some kind of transgression. The Navy shipped sailors at sea. It’s not racial.
Let’s quit calling it “misinformation”/”disinformation” and call it what we have called it since Biblical times – lies and manipulation. Oh and we are in Biblical times, it seems.
“The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”
~Psalm 58:3
These people wanted the whipping story to be true to support their narrative, just as they dearly wanted Jan 6 to be an ‘insurrection’ [Reichstag Fire] to support their grab for autocratic power.
Nothing they say can be trusted; everything they do must first be assumed to be part of a lawless quest for power.
They are Fascist Bolsheviks and act it.
If they followed a master plan to destroy the United States would that be distinguishable from what they are doing now?
FDA Authorizes Moderna and Pfizer Updated Booster Shots Against Omicron for Kids as Young as 5 to 11
By Jim Hoft
Published October 12, 2022 at 11:06am
448 Comments
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qH1gey2aTw
****************
Reminds me of:
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) – Anakin Kills Younglings/Order 66
Young, I really like your comparison of this, to Jan 6. It is the same carefully crafted ‘narrative’ (we call is bald face lies).
An event in time, taken out of context, amplified by the media.
RUSSIA!!!
Charlottesville
Impeachment I
Document gate
All perfectly normal events, the Dems have successfully made into scandals, aided by the very corrupt DoJ/FBI (with the intelligence community lurking in the shadows.)
Democrat voters are like sheep. Get one moving in a direction, all fall in with the movement. No thought required.
It is
usuallyalways best to assume evil, rather than incompetence, when dealing with today’s Democrats.Is this enough for the voters to figure out that Democrats HATE the voters.
Alejandro Mayorkas done good. He will be rewarded for his party loyalty. Don’t be surprised if he gets an appointment to an even higher and more cushy government position, and/or a lucrative job at CNN or MSNBC in the near future.
The Peter Principle lives on.
To those of you who routinely criticize Professor Turley for perceived inconsistency in his findings of untruthfulness in the current Administration, without pointing out that the prior Administration also had a strained relationship with the truth, I say this: one Administration at a time —
If Mayorkas did what it appears he did regarding this whipping story from Sept. 24, 2021, the it is fair to call for him to be held accountable for his actions.
Even if I felt Mayorkas was the consummate professional in the right position at the right time, there is no excuse he can offer with a straight face for his behavior on 9/24/21.
Based on this column, I am going to predict that the good Professor will be switching his registration to the Republican Party and be appointed Attorney General by President Tulsi Gabbard in the (hopefully) near future.
Biden’s America
Mayorkas et al. should be compelled to seek compulsory asylum in southern Chile.
In more than just this has Mayorkas made clear that ethics and morality have no place where career and personal gain are to be had.
Coming soon…………Turley writing how the right is being picked on by the Alex Jones verdict.
Notice how Professor Turley never ever complains about you Leftists urinating, defecating and throwing your sh!t at his forum.
Yes, this should horrify us all indeed! But what horrifies me even more is how many intelligent and decent Liberals still continue to vote for the Democratic Party, and or identify as a Democrat, when there is nothing remotely democratic about this party. So many well meaning, good hearted, naive Liberals hate Trump because “he is a racist, he is a sexist, he is a homophobe, he is a transphobe, he is an idiot, he is a clown, he is despicable..” you know the list goes on, when in reality Trump is none of those things. He is so none of those things, that the FakeNewsMedia and the Democrats have to keep inventing new hoaxes to sell their TDS to their base. I can understand how someone’s personality can be off putting to an individual, even if that someone may or may not fit into the individual’s idea of them. But if you want your country to succeed both domestically and internationally, stay strong and continue to be the beacon of freedom in an ocean of darkness, you need someone who can steer the ship in the right direction like Trump did and not someone like Biden who is clearly wrecking the ship and killing all the passengers simultaneously and getting rich doing it. Your country’s success lies in your own responsibility to find the truth and standing up for it, which you do so well Mr. Turley. Thank you for that!
RE:”But what horrifies me even more…’Res ipsa loquitor’ is not enough to persuade Democrat Helen Kellers. A modern day Vesuvius must erupt and bury them, deaf, dumb, and stupid.
I do believe the magma is building below the surface and will spew quite soon. It’s inevitable.
“…how many intelligent and decent Liberals still continue to vote for the Democratic Party, and or identify as a Democrat…”, against their own economic interests apparently, as well. How do current middle-class, classic liberals continue to vote for higher fuel/energy and food prices, vote for poking the bear (Russia), vote for censorship in free speech and not consider that one day all of those things will be worse for themselves if those pulling the strings of ‘the Big Guy’ continue at the controls of government? Something’s gotta give and when it does, what will the same reasonably intelligent middle-class folks living paycheck-to-paycheck now – just to keep up with current inflation – going to say?
Yes, this should horrify us all indeed! But what horrifies me even more is how many intelligent and decent Liberals still continue to vote for the Democratic Party, and or identify as a Democrat, when there is nothing remotely democratic about this party. So many well meaning, good hearted, naive Liberals hate Trump because “he is a racist, he is a sexist, he is a homophobe, he is a transphobe, he is an idiot, he is a clown, he is despicable..” you know the list goes on, when in reality Trump is none of those things. He is so none of those things, that the FakeNewsMedia and the Democrats have to keep inventing new hoaxes to sell their TDS to their base. I can understand how someone’s personality can be off putting to an individual, even if that someone may or may not fit into the individual’s idea of them. But if you want your country to succeed both domestically and internationally, to stay strong and continue to be the beacon of freedom in an ocean of darkness, you need someone who can steer the ship in the right direction like Trump did and not someone like Biden who is clearly wrecking the ship and killing all the passengers simultaneously and getting rich doing it. Your country’s success lies in your own morality and responsibility towards finding the truth and standing up for it, which you do so well Mr. Turley. Thank you for that!
Bravo Anonymous! The current insanity will end when the current leaders are out of office and the truth – finally – will see the light of day. The Biden administration’s legacy will be forged and remembered as one of purposeful mistruths and empty accomplishments. I too thank Mr. Turley for his courage, honesty and knowledge and for giving us this forum to better understand the law and the consequences of bending it to one’s personal ambitions.
The current insanity will end when the current leaders are out of office and the truth – finally – will see the light of day.
Karen, I wish you would be right.
The problem, Obama has infected about the 1st 5 layers of management at every executive agency. Even with new appointed leaders, all the worker bees are hard line leftist and will carry out the agenda of the left, even when the left has no power….temporarily. Maybe 16 years of Republicans in control of the White House would weed out a lot of the corruption. Second problem, establishment Republicans, like McConnell support the DC Swamp. McConnell is perfectly good, playing the stoic opposition. He’s not responsible for anything, and he gets the same grift, whether he is in the Majority or Minority. Case in point, Romney is actively working to defeat Mike Lee in the Utah Senate race. Mitch is doing nothing about it. But Lee is not part of the Swamp. That means he is a problem. Mitch would rather be in the minority, without Mike Lee, than the leader of the majority, with Mike Lee, demanding the Senate LEAD.
Do we really expect anything different from the mind-controlled prog/left? They cannot discern fact from fiction – that’s not their job. Without individual free thinkers the human race is bound to become just one large hive of worker drones supporting a very removed elite. Preventing that is worth sacrifice.
Wow, I have never seen Professor Turley use such strong language. Hear, hear. He’s exactly right on all counts. Now, what are the people who elected these people going to do about it?
Good question we really need to see so many of our Democrat colleagues that have good hearts were raised right they know what’s good for America they know what they know that’s good and kind.
“If there is any measure of decency and responsibility left in Washington, Mayorkas would resign.”
Won’t happen. Mayorkas has been around the swamp for a long time and is a certified sociopath. There is no leadership from the Biden White House. Biden doesn’t know what leadership is. Kamala Harris has no idea what leadership is. Resignations should have come after the Afghanistan withdrawal. Resignations should have happened too many times to count in this administration. At least Trump fired people and showed leadership. Biden ignores the failures and then pathologically lies about it. No media will pressure Biden for answers or accountability.
Mayorkas, Garland, Fauci, Wollensky, Harris, and Biden himself — are exactly the kinds of arrogant, entitled, ruthless, reckless, immoral, unprincipled, unethical, corrupt, psychopaths who should never hold or wield power –over policy or people — at any level. Not ever.
So, We the People, MUST vote in historic numbers ON election day this November. This sicko, psycho Democrat party must be obliterated in this coming election. Wipe them off the map, sweep them out to sea, and keep them out of power for a very long time to come. It is our duty as citizens of this country.
When Republicans take the ‘reins’ after November, they must get on offense and stay there. There must be accountability. There must be justice.
Illegal deportation is as ethical, moral and legal as illegal immigration.
Of course, rational patriotic people understand that invaders must be repulsed with extreme prejudice.
Patriots love their free nation.
Communists love their enslaved world.
How long does it take to awaken a sleeping giant?
@George
Please define and explain what you mean by illegal deportation.
You have an illegal alien stopped at the border they are given a court date and RoR’d. They skip the court date.
Now they can be deported when they are caught.
-G
There you go already.
We haven’t even started mass illegal deportation yet, and you are already questioning it.
Has anybody questioned all the mass illegal immigration since January 1, 1863 and continuing to this day?
Don’t worry, after we’re done, we’ll accommodate all similar inquiries with “fake” rationales that are as insane as the ones presented since 1863 to rationalize illegal immigration.
Remember, when you communists are done with your mass illegal immigration, that illegal deportation is as ethical, moral and legal as the psychotic invasion you’re conducting.
Always remember, “Crazy Abe” Lincoln taught us to break every law we don’t like or otherwise disagree with, and to arbitrarily amend the Constitution with a gun to America’s head, oh, and not one, which is nearly impossible by itself, but three constitutional amendments. Dang, eh?
You know that at some point in the future Biden and/or Democrats will be out of office, inflation will come down, unemployment will be steady, adjustments will be made to “bail reform” laws and our supply chain will normalize, however, once 2 million illegals enter every year that Biden and this criminal crew are in office will never be undone. An extra 8-10 MILLION illegals will be part of our country forever along with medical bills, education bills, costs for police due to crime, court costs, attorney fees, insurance cost for those that are victims of crime and all other ancillary costs accrued by allowing in 8 million people illegally that don’t speak our language, have zero skills that we need, have no doctors, no insurance and no prospects.
Mayorkas needs to be impeached right before Garland, then Biden and then Harris. Hey Republicans, pick the very best Speaker of the House because that person should end up president.