DOOLEY Observed: Elected Officials' Arrests Shock Quiet Border Town

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802: "I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."

"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not."-- Thomas Jefferson

"When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout." .... jbd

"When once a job you have begun, do no stop till it is done. Whether the task be great or small, do it well, or not at all." .... Anon

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein

Television is one daylong commercial interrupted periodically by inept attempts to fill the airspace in between them.

If you can't start a fire, perhaps your wood is wet ....

When you elect clowns, expect a circus ..............

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Elected Officials' Arrests Shock Quiet Border Town

by John Burnett

Earlier this month, federal agents busted a suspected gunrunning ring that allegedly includes the mayor, police chief and a city councilman of Columbus, N.M. The government alleges the officials used the power and privileges of office to buy weapons destined for a Mexican drug cartel.

Up until now, the most notorious crime in the history of Columbus was the infamous raid by Pancho Villa on the U.S. garrison here in 1916. That was before March 10 of this year.

Federal agents swooped down on this remote border outpost and arrested Mayor Eddie Espinoza, Police Chief Angelo Vega, village trustee Blas Gutierrez and seven others. They've all been indicted for conspiracy to smuggle guns and making false statements to obtain firearms.

"If you read the indictment, there's damning evidence there," Lt. Robert Odom of the Luna County Sheriff's Department says. "It would point to the fact that our village was being run by a criminal cartel."