Customs Cops Shake Down Texas Journalist.

[reprehensor]

Customs Cops Visit Bill Conroy with an Attack on Press Freedom

By Al Giordano
Tue May 24th, 2005

At 5:55 p.m. last night, Monday, May 23rd, in San Antonio, Texas, Agent Carlos Salazar of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, accompanied by a female agent who failed to identify herself, made a surprise visit to the home of Narco News journalist Bill Conroy, a reporter, and author of the online book Borderline Security, who has broken a string of stories about embarrassing and worrisome problems inside Salazar’s agency.

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Today, Tuesday, May 24th, after the intimidating visit by cops to the family home – “I had to explain to my son that I hadn’t done anything wrong,” says Conroy - authentic journalist Bill Conroy went to work at his day job, as the mild-mannered and respected editor of a prominent business periodical.

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“I got a call from our receptionist. I was in my office editing copy for this week's paper,” says Conroy. “The receptionist told me a Carlos Salazar was here to see me. I grabbed my tape recorder and a notebook and headed to the front of the office.”

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“I immediately said I was going to record the conversation and showed them the tape recorder. White objected immediately, saying I couldn't do that. ‘This is an official investigation.’ They both then pulled out their badges, just like in a Dragnet show. I told them I was aware they were there on official business. (The visit to my house the prior day tipped me off to that bit of reality.) I told them I still wanted to record the conversation. They continued to object. I then said I wasn't going to talk with them absent the tape recorder, that whatever they needed they could get from the story that was already published. I then suggested they provide me with their questions in writing and I would look them over and get back to them. They again refused. Salazar then said that he did want to talk about the story. ‘I want to know your source,’ he said point blank. I said I'm not going to talk beyond what was already in the story.”

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[sui generis]

1. beautiful - now that's the way it needs to be done

when a federal agent is abusing his authority and worse, intimidating the very people for whom he has a fiduciary obligation to protect as "retribution", it's time to deliver some smack down.

Salazar and White, and others like you: you can't intimidate an American for being American. You can try, but sooner or later you will have to pay for being more like Nazi Gestapo than like American citizens yourselves. And I suspect that the more often you try, the better your chances of getting your own rotten asses canned.

Shmucks. Oh, and in case you don't understand the law: you don't have a choice if someone TELLS you they are going to record a conversation. The only choice YOU have is not to speak.

[hang a left]

2. Lets see if he answers his phone today. LOL

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A short while later, journalist Bill Conroy dialed that number – 210-336-0036 – but Salazar did not answer. This was the first sign of deviation from standard operating procedure by the Customs agent: Internal Affairs agents (those who investigate other Customs agents) are supposed to keep their cell phones on at all hours and are aware of all incoming calls. It’s part of the job… but not for Salazar at 210-336-0036 apparently… At least not last night… (Does anyone know if government employee Carlos Salazar is answering his cell phone, 210-336-0036, tonight, unlike last night? Inquiring citizens have a right to know!

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If that is the story (I guess I’ll have to ask Agent Salazar at 210-336-0036, from here, once I find a working telephone somewhere in a country called América), this botched attempt to intimidate journalist Bill Conroy may backfire even higher. For as much as U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton’s political ambitions have likely been stunted by the shining light of Conroy’s reports on his mishandling of the House of Death case, I very much doubt that Sutton will allow himself to be dragged into a media circus over the intimidation of the journalist most renowned for investigating Sutton himself. I mean, that wouldn’t look very good for Johnny Sutton, would it?

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As for Agent Carlos Salazar (he’s the guy at 210-336-0036), I hope for his sake this wasn’t a rogue, unauthorized attack on the press on his part. Because, so far, every other public official that has tried to silence a Bill Conroy story has ended up causing himself (or herself) problems when his or her superiors read the facts reported in Narco News.

[Karenina]

4. What was that # again?

;-)

[geckosfeet]

3. Say a prayer for Bill Conroy. I hope he is watching his back.