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ICE Won't Say Whether It'll Reveal Who Leaked Immigration Status Of Obama's Aunt
Immigration and Customs Enforcement won't say whether findings from its investigation into the source of an election-eve leak about the immigration status of Barack Obama's aunt will be made public.
Kelly Nantel, a spokesperson for ICE, told TPMMuckraker in an email: "I ... don't know if the results [of the probe] are made public."
Just days before the election, the Associated Press reported, sourced to a federal law enforcement official, that Obama's aunt, Zeituni Onyango, had ignored a deportation order issued four years ago by a U.S. immigration judge. The leak appeared to be a politically motivated effort to damage Obama's candidacy at the eleventh hour.
ICE, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, quickly announced that it had launched an investigation into the source of the leak, which, according to our reporting, clearly violated government regulations, and could even make it more likely that Onyango could be persecuted for having sought asylum in the U.S. if she is ultimately deported to Kenya.
But now it appears that we may never know the identity of the leaker.
Josh
Zachary
We may never know with certainty, but we sure got a big hint last week. Julie Meyers? Anyone?
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/11/06/myers-resign/
November 12, 2008 2:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I see that TPM covered that story as well- after looking through the archives here, excellent. I figured you couldn't have missed it.
November 12, 2008 2:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. As RS' Tim Dickinson quickly deduced, all fingers point to Myers.
-AF
Andrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
November 12, 2008 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
what a ham-handed stunt. Whom was this supposed to persuade to not vote for Obama?
November 12, 2008 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
... what a cunning stunt, Julie Myers...
November 12, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
That makes me smile.
November 12, 2008 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't need to know who it was, but I do need to know that there will be consequences, which I believe should result in whatever prosecution is prescribed by the regulations.
I am so tired of the dearth of consequences for malefactors in this administration.
November 12, 2008 4:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
For there to be consequences, malefactors must be named. I, for one, do want names named. But even if I didn't, successfully prosecuting this leaker sends the message that this won't be tolerated from anyone regardless of pedigree.
-AF
November 12, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let me add some bolding to see if we can spot a problem:
ICE, an agency of the Department of Homeland Security, quickly announced that it had launched an investigation into the source of the leak, which, according to our reporting, clearly violated government regulations
Since "TPM Muckraker" isn't an expert on their procedures and isn't familiar with the details of the case, can I suggest that that "reporting" might be a bit flawed? There might be details or rules that "TPM Muckraker" isn't familiar with.
And, I'm going to assume that many here don't realize how much they, Bush, Myers, crooked businesses, the MexicanGovernment, and others are all on the same basic side.
And, did "TPM Muckraker" ever ask why BHO throw Auntie under the bus rather than getting her a lawyer?
http://24ahead.com/blog/archives/008288.html
November 12, 2008 4:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama could find out if he wants to since he will be president soon.
November 12, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's clearly Myers. She will be heading out of town with the rest of the Loyal Bushie appointees in January. The only question is whether ICE and the DOJ under Obama will chase it. I suspect there is a 1% chance of that happening.
John
November 12, 2008 7:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well the hell with who leaked it, lets start the deportation! With leaks like this we should give them an award!
JUST SAY NO TO ILLEGAL FREELOADERS!
November 13, 2008 7:42 PM | Reply | Permalink