-Caveat Lector-
Saturday | October 28, 2000
The Dallas Morning News
Congressional inquiries to DEA and DEA e-mails on Vice President
Al Gore
10/28/2000
The following are two internal DEA E-Mails regarding the March 12
visit of Vice President Al Gore to Brookhollow Baptist Church in
Houston, where Rap-A-Lot Records entrepreneur James A. Prince
was a member and major financial supporter:
--Original Message-
From: Nims, James B. [a group supervisor at Houston DEA office]
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2000 1:10 PM
To: Howard, Ernest L. [Special Agent in Charge of Houston�s DEA
division office]
I�ve just been advised that when VP Al Gore was here in town
(Monday?) he spent some time over at the Brookhollow Baptist
Church. I understand that aside from the Rev. West, Mr. Smith
was in attendance as well. I wonder if the Congresswoman was
there as well??? Have you heard anything about that??
Regards,
Jim
From: Howard, Ernest L.
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2000 2:40 PM
To: Nims, James B. Subject: RE-FYI
No, the one from Calif. Was not there as far as I know, but yes
James was there Sunday with the VP at church. He undoubtedly had
a picture session as well.
The following is a three-page letter sent Friday from House
Government Reform Committee Chairman Dan Burton to Attorney
General Janet Reno.
Congress of the United States House of Representatives Committee
on Government Reform 2157 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515-6143
October 27, 2000
The Honorable Janet Reno Attorney General United States
Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington
D.C. 20530
Dear General Reno,
Pursuant to Rules X and XI of the House of Representatives, the
Committee on Government Reform is conducting an oversight
investigation relating to the Drug Enforcement Administration�s
investigation of James A. Prince, also known as James A.
Smith, of Houston, Texas. In July of this year, the committee
requested a briefing on the DEA investigation of Mr. Prince.
Mr. Ernest Howard, the Special Agent in Charge of the Houston
Division, gave the briefing.
On July 17, 2000, the Committee was told by Mr. Howard that the
DEA�s investigation relating to Mr. Prince had never been
closed, and was an ongoing ``open�� case. Mr. Howard�s briefing
to this committee provided reassurance that the Justice
Department was acting appropriately and the Committee took no
subsequent investigative steps. Earlier this month, however, news
articles began appearing that contradicted information given the
Committee during the briefing. In response to a letter request
from this Committee, the DEA furnished several e-mails from Mr.
Howard, dated March 14, 2000, and March 15, 2000, that referred
to the Prince investigation as being "closed." For example, in a
written communication between Mr. Howard and Mr. R.C. Gamble,
Howard stated:
But it is over now. The Houston division will terminate all
active investigation of Rap-A-Lot, except for those persons who
have already been arrested/indicted. If ANY information comes to
the attention of the agents in the Houston Division regarding
Rap-A-Lot or James Smith, it will be vetted through Hqs prior to
ANY action taken here.
It has become clear that this situation demands closer scrutiny
by the Congress. Accordingly, the Committee requests to
interview the following individuals:
Julio Mercado: HQ Executive Staff R.C. Gamble: HQ Executive
Staff Felix Jimenez: HQ Executive Staff Robert Joura: Houston
Division Management Staff James Nims: Houston Division Management
Staff Jack Schumacher: Houston Division Management Staff Chad
Scott: Houston Division Management Staff
In addition to the above-referenced personnel, the Committee
anticipates a need for a second interview of Ernest Howard,
Special Agent in Charge, Houston Division, as well as an
interview with Donnie Marshal, Administrator, DEA. With regard to
the Houston-based DEA agents, the Committee is interested in
obtaining answers to the following questions relating to whether
or not the DEA�s investigation of James A. Prince, aka James A.
Smith, was curtailed due to political interference:
1. Were you aware of the investigation involving James A.
Prince? 2. Did you participate in the investigation of James A.
Prince? 3. Which other DEA personnel were involved in the
investigation of James A. Prince? 4. During the period between
August 1, 1999, and October 27, 2000, was your participation in
the investigation of Prince terminated or materially changed?
If so, at what date? 5. Are you aware of any Houston based DEA
personnel, between the time period of August 1, 1999, and October
27, 2000, that were transferred off of the Prince case? If so,
how many, and when were they transferred to other duties? 6.
Are you aware of any case activity relating to Prince after March
15, 2000? 7. Were any leads developed or followed up on Prince
after March 15, 2000? 8. Were any DEA personnel assigned to the
Prince investigation after March 15, 2000? If so, which
personnel? 9. Are you aware of any participation by the Houston
Police Department in the Prince matter? 10. Do you know whether
any members of the Houston Police Department were taken off the
Prince investigation during the time period beginning August 1,
1999, and October 27, 2000? 11. Were you aware that Mr. Prince
was promising a large political contribution to the Gore
campaign, DNC or any other political committee?
As we discussed during the October 27, 2000, meeting with DEA
Special Agent Toni Teresi, chief, Congressional Affairs, and John
Tanner, Office of Legislative Affairs, Department of Justice, the
Committee does not intend to ask questions about the substance of
any particular investigation. Rather, the committee is
interested in determining whether the Justice Department
curtailed a criminal investigation as a result of political
pressure. Given the variance between Mr. Howard�s oral briefing
to the Committee, and his written communications to colleagues,
it is imperative that the Committee obtain information from the
identified individuals. The Committee requests that you
facilitate interviews with the named Houston based agents in
order for them to answer the above specified questions. The
Commiteee hopes to complete these interviews, and an interview of
Mr. Howard, on Wednesday, November 1, 2000. In addition, the
Committee would like to complete its interviews with the
remaining supervisory employees by Friday, November 3, 2000. In
that the Justice Department made Mr. Howard available for an
interview with the Houston Chronicle newspaper on October 27,
2000, and that Committee staff has already interviewed him once,
I trust that there will be no difficulty scheduling the requested
interview with him.
Sincerely, Dan Burton Chairman
Cc: Hon. Henry Waxman Ranking Minority Member
The following is an Oct. 19 letter from the House Government
Reform Committee chairman to DEA Administrator Donnie Marshall on
the committee�s intent to investigate the status of DEA�s Houston
case against James A. Prince and associates.
Congress of the United States House of Representatives Committee
on Government Reform 2157 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515-6143
October 19, 2000
The Honorable Donnie Marshall Administrator Drug Enforcement
Administration
600-700 Army-Navy Drive Arlington, VA 22202
Dear Administrator Marshall:
Pursuant to House Rules X and XI, the Committee on Government
Reform is conducting an oversight investigation into federal law
enforcement activities relating to the James A. Prince
investigation in Houston, Texas.
Pursuant to our conversation today, I am holding the Committee�s
subpoena in abeyance, pending the production of certain documents
to the Committee by October 25, 2000. I appreciate your
willingness to comply with this request by this date. Please have
your staff produce to the Committee all correspondence from and
to Ernest L. Howard, Special Agent in Charge of the Houston
Field Division, from February 1, 2000, until April 30, 2000,
relating to the investigation of Rap-A-Lot Records and James A.
Prince, also known as James A. Smith, including, but not limited
to, written documents, facsimiles, e-mail and any and all forms
of electronic transmissions. If you have any questions concerning
this matter, please feel free to contact Marc Chretien, Senior
Counsel, at (202) 225-5074. Sincerely, Dan Burton Chairman cc:
Hon. Henry Waxman
=================================================================
Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT
FROM THE DESK OF:
*Michael Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
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