Another Pardon Scandal

by
Irma Muniz
Advocates of Justice

There is no justice in the American system for Mexican-Americans, Hispanics, Latinos, or other minorities. There is no justice for the poor. Bill Clinton and our judicial system have proven that justice prevails for the wealthy, and it goes to the highest bidder.

Presidents are given the right to pardon whomever they wish. Several have demonstrated, however, that their selections are discriminatory and prejudicial. They pardon selectively for their own profit or purpose.

Consider the case of political prisoner Ramsey Muņiz, who has been sentenced to life without parole. Muņiz is a former Texas gubernatorial candidate and leader for Mexican-Americans. Since then, repeated DEA indictments against him have been due to his activism during the Chicano Civil Rights Movement.

Muņiz filed a pardon application and, in order for the application to be considered, he had to follow government regulations on format and timeliness. It was submitted twice, as the Pardon Attorney 's office claims that the first application was "lost." Officials in Leavenworth say that it was sent to the Pardon Attorney's Office, yet to this day, that office claims that no application was ever received from Ramsey Muņiz. Someone in the system is obviously lying, and the question is who? Some high-level political figures still fear Muniz' influence upon the Mexican-American people. The numbers that he moved in his gubernatorial campaigns, and his leadership in the Chicano Civil Rights Movement caused a political concern that still exists today.

Our system of justice failed a man imprisoned for life, because he followed regulations rather than having wealth. What does this say to those who are unjustly incarcerated? What about pardons for those imprisoned because they lack the wealth to prove their innocence? There is no hope or justice for most minorities, because they have no money. In reality, freedom and justice are bought. For the majority of Americans, the American system of justice is nothing but an illusion.

For more information, visit the web site:

http://www.freeramsey.com

Irma Muniz, Chairperson
Advocates of Justice
PMB 216 5403 Everhart Rd.
Corpus Christi, TX 78411-4895
(361) 992-4488
aou@earthlink.net