At least eight times Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House, raised the issue of a pardon or commutation for U.S. Border Patrol agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos at presidential news briefings, and eight times there was a "no comment" or an equivalent.

At one point, the late presidential spokesman Tony Snow called the question from Kinsolving "nonsensical."

But in the end, the issue did get the attention of President Bush, who released a list of commutations today that included the two agents, who were sent to prison for shooting at a drug smuggler who fleeing back to Mexico after dropping more than 750 pounds of drugs inside the U.S.

"Free at last. Free at last. Thanks God Almighty, they're free at last!" wrote WND founder and editor Joseph Farah in his daily column on the action that follow his campaign to raise awareness of the plight of the agents and to urge government officials to take action.

Monica Ramos embraces her husband, former U.S. Border Patrol agent Ignacio Ramos, two days before he was sentenced to 11 years in prison (Courtesy El Paso Times)

"Thank God for this commutation," said Farah after his petition and letter-writing campaign re-energized the Ramos-Compean issue in the last 30 days of Bush's term.

"This will end the sleepless nights for their wives and children. This is the first step toward making these families whole, again," he said.

Farah's petition collected more than 40,000 signatures by the time today's commutation announcement was made, and the letter campaign produced more than 3,000 FedEx letters to the White House.

(Story continues below)

The letter described how the agents were "serving outrageously long prison terms for shooting and wounding, in the line of duty, a fleeing illegal alien drug smuggler trying to bring almost 800 pounds of marijuana into the U.S."

The smuggler was granted immunity for his illegal activities in return for testifying against the agents. After the trial, it was revealed he participated in another drug run into the U.S. while under immunity.

The law under which the agents were ordered to serve minimum 10-year sentences for using a firearm in the commission of a crime never had been applied to law enforcement officers.

The letter also noted several jurors complained they had been intimidated into voting "guilty" although they believed the men were innocent, yet the trial judge refused to set aside the verdict.

Among other factors raising public concern was the prosecutor's statement that the sentences were too harsh.

In his new column, Farah said the continued incarceration of the agents "represented nothing less than a human rights abuse – a miscarriage of justice perpetrated at the highest levels of our government."

Thus, the petition drive and the letter-writing campaign he launched.

"A month ago, as President Bush's term began running out, and as he began issuing pardons to other less worthy individuals, I decided something had to be done for Ramos and Compean," Farah wrote.

"When I thought about their case, I was gripped with a passionate rage. When I thought about those men suffering in their private little hell, I couldn't sleep at night. When I thought about their wives and children, I would get short of breath. When I thought about what their fate said about justice in America, tears would fill my eyes. So I decided to launch a petition to free Ramos and Compean.

"In less than a month, we were able to get more than 40,000 people to sign the petition to release Ramos and Compean," he continued. "With time running out, we decided the best way to direct urgent communications to the White House was through overnight courier. We were able to get thousands of WND readers to send those letters by FedEx – a campaign that ended late last week.

"I don't know how much of a role that campaign played in influencing the White House, but I am certain that the prayers and expressions of support of Americans for Ramos and Compean made a difference," he said.

 

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Previous stories:

Bush cuts sentences of Ramos, Compean

DOJ considering commutation for Ramos, Compean

10 congressmen urge clemency for agents

Compean finally speaks from behind prison bars

Agent 'has butterflies' over chance for reprieve

Big name senators plead for agents' freedom

Bush on border agents: 'I'm not talking pardons'

Obama's ICE candidate pleads for agents' pardon

Compean's wife wants heart-to-heart with Bush

Bush springs drug dealers, lets 2 border agents rot

Ramos-Compean treatment has border agents quivering

President Bush thinking of border agent pardons?

No mercy for jailed Border Patrol agent

Rules allow border agents to seek clemency

Border agent convictions upheld by court of appeals

What did government promise drug smuggler?

New ethics complaint targets Ramos-Compean prosecutor

'Ramos, Compean must ask for clemency'

Call renewed for pardons for border agents

Pardon me: Bush blasted for ignoring border agents

'Free agents by Christmas' plan gains momentum

House resolution wants Ramos, Compean freed

Another win for border agent who struck illegal

Feds admit smuggler lied in Ramos-Compean case

Jailed border agents plead for new trial

Rights 'denied' Ramos, Compean

Ramos, Compean feared for their lives

Drug smuggler arrested for 2nd marijuana load

'Pardon Ramos and Compean now!'

Arrest prompts call for release of Ramos, Compean

Bush won't get involved in Ramos, Compean review

Lawmaker: Terrorists treated better than Ramos, Compean

Texas deputy freed from prison

Jailed Texas deputy scheduled for release

Gil Hernandez 'fears for his life'

Border Patrol agent vindicated

Sheriff sees pattern in border agents' cases

Feds seeking 7 years for another Texas cop

Justice urged to release Ramos-Compean documents

Records prompt call for new Ramos-Compean trial

Congressman: Bush 'doesn't give a damn'

Cop called 'double agent' in Ramos-Compean case

Ramos, Compean release on bond nixed

Border agents' case inspires song

Feinstein still probing Ramos-Compean case

Judicial Watch seeks records in Ramos-Compean case

Sheriff: Deputy prosecuted by Mexico's demand

Senate hearings on Ramos-Compean postponed

Smuggler's 2nd drug case confirmed by accomplice

Ramos attorney calls for mistrial

Smuggler's 2nd delivery of marijuana confirmed

Congressman: Probe Mexico's role in prosecutions

Mexico demanded U.S. prosecute sheriff, agents

Discrepancies in case against Border Patrol unresolved

Compean reports reading half of Bible already

How cozy was Border Patrol with smuggler?

Border Patrol agents fired for changing testimonies

Drug smuggler left cell phone in van

Border-agent investigator had tie to smuggler

Author of DHS border-agent report lied to Congress

Officials urged to resign for lie about border agents

Government admits lying about jailed border agents

Imprisoned border agent did report shooting

Imprisoned border agent beaten by fellow inmates

Prosecutor had evidence against drug smuggler

Poe seeks 'public' documents on border agents

Prosecutor accused of hiding smuggler's 2nd drug bust

Homeland Security memos contradict U.S. attorney

Uproar over border agents to get White House review

Feds 'knew smuggler' in Border Patrol case

Ballistics data don't support charge against border agents

Funds set up for Border Patrol agents

Congressman: Feds stonewalling on border agents

Border agent's wife at State of the Union

Revolt builds as Republicans seek to toss border agents' convictions

Border Patrol agent held in solitary confinement

Imprisoned agent's wife: President is a hypocrite

Border agents' prosecutor responds to critics

Border agents sent to prison

Border agents plead for 'Christmas pardon'

White House clarifies 'nonsensical' comment'

12 congressmen demand pardon for border agents

Snow says question on agents' prison time 'nonsensical'