From: Mark Keesee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1999 Former Customs agent alleges corruption Blows whistle on drug deals, smuggling, payoffs, bribes WorldNetDaily Exclusive By David M. Bresnahan � 1999 WorldNetDaily.com The good guys get forced out, so the bad guys can run drugs, take bribes, and cover up their illegal activities, says U.S. Customs Department whistleblower John Carman about the agency he served for 15 years. With a long career of meritorious service, Carman recently won a victory in a court case he is pursuing against the Customs Department over the treatment he has received. Prior to losing his job at Customs, Carman worked for the Secret Service, the U.S. Mint and the San Diego Police Department. "Some Customs agents up in Los Angeles and Riverside just recently resigned because of the corruption that's going on," Carman told WorldNetDaily in an exclusive interview. "They're being ordered off the investigations. They're being told not to do certain things. They just get tired of it and they realize what happened to me. They don't want to go through that, so they're bailing out real quick so they can get another job and go on with their lives so they don't get caught up in the mess," he explained. Carman has a long list of infractions and evidence to support his claims of drug deals, smuggling, payoffs, bribes, drug running and more. The corruption is so deep, he maintains President Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno must be complicit. They could not be unaware of the level of corruption in the department, he insists. President Clinton has taken steps to make it easier for drugs to be smuggled into the U.S., he said. Surveillance planes, chase cars, and other means to apprehend drug runners have been discontinued under orders of the president. Carman blames Clinton for increased drug traffic and for a Customs Department that has become ineffective and corrupt. Carman has reported and documented many cases of various levels of corruption to the internal affairs investigators within the Customs Department. He says Reno is fully aware of those complaints, but does nothing, and points out 15 years of charges have resulted only in death threats and severe harassment for him. Carman has issued a list of complaints and charges against Customs officials over the years. He says the charges have never been denied. Officials simply use bureaucratic red tape to avoid answering the claims. "I'm correct. They've never refuted any of the allegations. That's the most important point. Never refuted anything I've said," explained Carman. "They've only tried to skate around it by saying 'you didn't follow procedures. You didn't talk to somebody right.' That's all wrong because I went to internal affairs, I went ... to the office of special counsel ... I went to the Department of Justice, I even went to the White House. Everybody. I followed suit because I knew that if I didn't do it right I wouldn't be able to go public and then they could say, well you violated something. Well, I didn't." "I've got a stack of paperwork to prove that I went to the special counsel," he said, "and the administrative law judge still ruled against me because he thought that I didn't go to special counsel. Well, it's a waste of time. They've got little old ladies on telephones that conduct their investigations by calling up the bad guys and saying 'did you talk to Mr. Carman?' And they say no, and that will be it. That's an investigation," Carman complained. Although others have been frightened away, Carman has refused to back down in his attempts to expose what he sees as evil taking more and more control of the Customs Department. When he was forced to retire from the Customs Department, he was able to obtain a favorable settlement agreement, but he has been unable to get the Customs Department to abide by that agreement. He says he can even show that corrupt officials are preventing his service records from being released, which has virtually ended his career as he attempts to find new work. Customs Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly recently toured U.S. Customs facilities along the southwest border, according to informed sources. His announced purpose was to learn about problems and concerns directly from employees. Carman claims that Kelly was sheltered by management officials from the many problems and complaints that exist. "Rudy M. Camacho ... was along to make sure that no one would openly speak out against him or the commissioner. Politics you know. Who's going to speak openly with the 'problem' standing right there with the Customs Commissioner? I honestly feel that maybe headquarters doesn't have the slightest idea about what is really happening along the border. They have to rely on such persons that are in charge with the intricacies of everyday procedures and incidents that hardly ever reach the Commissioner back in Washington," explained Carman. Two spokesmen for the U.S. Customs public affairs office deny knowing anything about Carman's claims. Vincent Bond of the San Ysidro, California office said Kelly held a town hall meeting with over 80 employees at which Camacho was asked to leave the room to enable employees to feel comfortable if they want to express dissatisfaction. Bond was unaware of Carman's complaints. Dean Boyd in the Washington, D.C. public affairs office said he was unaware of Carman and laughed about the claims. He said he would look into it and call back. No return call was received. David M. Bresnahan is an investigative journalist for WorldNetDaily.com and the author of "Cover Up: The Art and Science of Political Deception." � 1999 WorldNetDaily.com, Inc. --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- Get great offers on top-notch products that match your interests! Sign up for eLerts at: <a href=" http://clickme.onelist.com/ad/elerts1 ">Click Here</a> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
