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Alejandro Mayorkas, who was nominated by President-elect Joe Biden to serve in his administration as the head of the Department of Homeland Security, was previously accused of having “inappropriate” involvement in the commutation of a major drug trafficker’s sentence.
A House of Representatives report examined the 2001 commutation of Carlos Vignali, who was both a convicted drug dealer and the son of a major Democratic Party donor.
Appointed by former President Bill Clinton, Mayorkas was serving as the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles at the time.
The report found that “Mayorkas provided critical support for the Vignali commutation that was inappropriate, given his position.” Specifically, Mayorkas called the White House on behalf of Vignali’s father and conveyed support for Carlos Vignali’s commutation, despite the fact that Mayorkas had had conversations with prosecutors involved in the case, who suggested the drug dealer was a “major player” in drug trafficking.
Vignali’s roughly 15-year prison sentence was commuted in 2001 by Bill Clinton, who is said to have relied on input provided by several individuals – including Mayorkas – who admittedly knew little about the facts of the case.
Mayorkas admitted that it was a “mistake” for him to have made that call on behalf of Vignali’s parents, and he apologized for letting his sympathy for them cloud his judgment.
BIDEN DHS PICK MAYORKAS INTERVENED TO HELP DEMOCRAT-CONNECTED FOREIGN INVESTORS: IG
Meanwhile, another investigation looked into a program headed by Mayorkas when he was deputy secretary of Homeland Security during the Obama administration.
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General released a report in 2015 regarding an immigration program (EB-5) Mayorkas oversaw, which accused him of creating the appearance of “favoritism and special access.” The program offers green cards to foreign investors who commit to a significant investment in business ventures that create U.S. jobs.
Some projects that were said to have been given preferential treatment included one investment with ties to then-Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and a company headed by former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe.
As noted by Fox News, numerous individuals came to Mayorkas’ defense at the time, including A.B. Culvahouse, former counsel for President Ronald Reagan who had worked with Mayorkas at a law firm.
The report ultimately concluded that every action Mayorkas took was legal, and that none of the cases were decided inappropriately.
Mayorkas was announced as Biden’s candidate for the top post at the Department of Homeland Security last week. He would be the first immigrant and Latino to lead the agency.
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