As I've always blogged, you have to FOLLOW THE MONEY in order to find the root cause for the actions of corrupt politicians. This CBS5 Investigative report details how Private Prison Lobbyists are filling the pockets of political candidates --specifically of Jan "La Bruja" Brewer. This reports also sheds light on the sb1070 - Correction Facilities of America (CCA) Private Prisons connection:
. 23,000 Immigrants turned over to ICE, numerous detained at CCA facilities.
After this CBS5 investigative report, CCA cancelled all of the Governor's campaign advertising on CBS5-Phoenix.
see the video
CBS5-Phoenix reports:
Brewer Linked To Private Prisons Housing Illegal Immigrants
New Questions Raised About Lobbyist Advice -Morgan Loew, CBS 5 Investigative Reporter
-- Gov. Jan Brewer’s campaign chairman and policy adviser is also a lobbyist for the largest private prison company in the country. Chuck Coughlin is one of two people in the Brewer administration with ties to Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). The other administration member is communications director Paul Senseman, a former CCA lobbyist. His wife still lobbies for the company. According to campaign finance records, CCA executives and employees contributed more than $1,000 to the governor’s re-election campaign. The company’s political action committee and its lobbyists contributed another $60,000 to Brewer’s top legislative priority, Proposition 100, a sales tax to help avoid budget cuts to education.
Caroline Isaacs from the American Friends Service Committee, which advocates for social justice issues, said the money is evidence of influence the company has on the governor. Isaacs said private prison companies have been buying influence in Arizona politics for years. The number of private prisons and jails operating across the state shows the result of that influence, he said. Currently, there are at least 12 for-profit prison, jail and detention facilities in Arizona. Isaacs said the state has something else that attracts these companies. “The other Holy Grail, if you will, of private prison construction is immigrant detention,” Isaac said.
Corrections Corporation of America holds the contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to lock up illegal immigrants picked up in Arizona. Tough immigration laws like Arizona's SB 1070 could send thousands of new bodies its way, and millions of dollars. But CCA’s lobbyist and Brewer’s adviser, Chuck Coughlin, told CBS 5 News and other media outlets that there is no connection between his client and illegal immigrants arrested by local law enforcement. Coughlin appeared on KAET TV’s “Horizon” two weeks ago. “When somebody gets arrested, they go to jail. There are no private jails. Those are public jails. ICE has said they are not taking prisoners arrested under that, so there would be no transport into the state prison system when this happens,” he told the host of “Horizon.”
But ICE’s spokesman in Phoenix told CBS 5 News the agency gets most of its detainees from local law enforcement. Records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act Request show Arizona agencies turned over 23,000 illegal immigrants to ICE over the past three years. Hundreds of them ended in up CCA facilities.
“Anyone who is a serious criminal or is a flight risk is more than likely going to end up in detention here in Arizona,” said Vinnie Picard from ICE.
CBS 5 News invited Coughlin to explain what he told the governor about the effects of SB 1070 on CCA, but after weeks of negotiating through e-mail, Coughlin backed out of an on-camera interview. He sent CBS 5 News e-mail from CCA, which stated: “CCA has neither directly, nor indirectly attempted to influence immigration policy, including SB 1070, and absolutely did not engage anyone in the Governor’s Office on signature of that bill.”
People like Carline Isaacs, who study the private prison industry, said they don’t buy it. “My reaction to that statement is then why did they give them all that money?” she said. Chuck Coughlin’s company canceled all of the governor’s campaign advertising on CBS 5 News.
. 23,000 Immigrants turned over to ICE, numerous detained at CCA facilities.
After this CBS5 investigative report, CCA cancelled all of the Governor's campaign advertising on CBS5-Phoenix.
see the video
CBS5-Phoenix reports:
Brewer Linked To Private Prisons Housing Illegal Immigrants
New Questions Raised About Lobbyist Advice -Morgan Loew, CBS 5 Investigative Reporter
-- Gov. Jan Brewer’s campaign chairman and policy adviser is also a lobbyist for the largest private prison company in the country. Chuck Coughlin is one of two people in the Brewer administration with ties to Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). The other administration member is communications director Paul Senseman, a former CCA lobbyist. His wife still lobbies for the company. According to campaign finance records, CCA executives and employees contributed more than $1,000 to the governor’s re-election campaign. The company’s political action committee and its lobbyists contributed another $60,000 to Brewer’s top legislative priority, Proposition 100, a sales tax to help avoid budget cuts to education.
Caroline Isaacs from the American Friends Service Committee, which advocates for social justice issues, said the money is evidence of influence the company has on the governor. Isaacs said private prison companies have been buying influence in Arizona politics for years. The number of private prisons and jails operating across the state shows the result of that influence, he said. Currently, there are at least 12 for-profit prison, jail and detention facilities in Arizona. Isaacs said the state has something else that attracts these companies. “The other Holy Grail, if you will, of private prison construction is immigrant detention,” Isaac said.
Corrections Corporation of America holds the contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to lock up illegal immigrants picked up in Arizona. Tough immigration laws like Arizona's SB 1070 could send thousands of new bodies its way, and millions of dollars. But CCA’s lobbyist and Brewer’s adviser, Chuck Coughlin, told CBS 5 News and other media outlets that there is no connection between his client and illegal immigrants arrested by local law enforcement. Coughlin appeared on KAET TV’s “Horizon” two weeks ago. “When somebody gets arrested, they go to jail. There are no private jails. Those are public jails. ICE has said they are not taking prisoners arrested under that, so there would be no transport into the state prison system when this happens,” he told the host of “Horizon.”
But ICE’s spokesman in Phoenix told CBS 5 News the agency gets most of its detainees from local law enforcement. Records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act Request show Arizona agencies turned over 23,000 illegal immigrants to ICE over the past three years. Hundreds of them ended in up CCA facilities.
“Anyone who is a serious criminal or is a flight risk is more than likely going to end up in detention here in Arizona,” said Vinnie Picard from ICE.
CBS 5 News invited Coughlin to explain what he told the governor about the effects of SB 1070 on CCA, but after weeks of negotiating through e-mail, Coughlin backed out of an on-camera interview. He sent CBS 5 News e-mail from CCA, which stated: “CCA has neither directly, nor indirectly attempted to influence immigration policy, including SB 1070, and absolutely did not engage anyone in the Governor’s Office on signature of that bill.”
People like Carline Isaacs, who study the private prison industry, said they don’t buy it. “My reaction to that statement is then why did they give them all that money?” she said. Chuck Coughlin’s company canceled all of the governor’s campaign advertising on CBS 5 News.
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12 comments:
It matters not who is running the detention centers and whether or not they are profit makers. The bottom line is if you are in this country illegally we have the right to detain you. It is only your status that matters and the fact that your broke our immigration laws.
The pro-illegals object to illegals being detained regardless of where it is and who is profiting or not profiting from their detention. So this jail for profit excuse is just that. It is only an excuse to allow illegals to run free in our country.
I wonder if we will ever see the day that the pro-illegals will admit the truth of their agenda and stop playing their smoke and mirrors games.
Anon,
Please name yourself. Otherwise I cannot differentiate you from Bad Anon who relentlessly profanely comments on my site. You can name yourself John, Jane or whatever you choose and still keep your anonymity.
Regarding "Following the Money" -- of course it's important. It is obvious that Brewer lacks the intellectual capability of being Governor of a state. She is being puppeteered by those who have an agenda. CCA is but one of the puppeteers. Another is the far right extremist ANTI Immigration Reformers.
The bottom line is she is corrupt and these investigative reports are providing the details. I would not be a bit surprised if the DOJ doesn't step in and charge her and CCA for their wrongdoings. You say you believe in Rule of Law. If these investigations are correct, she is BREAKING THE RULE OF LAW!
The Feds are in charge of Immigration Law in our country. The current policies are BROKEN. IF CIR IS PASSED, those who are felony free can be put in legal status and Law Enforcement can finally go back to going after Felonious Criminals and the Drug Cartels and keep us all SAFE! Instead of hounding landscapers and restaurant workers.
My argument is only about our right to detain illegal immigrants whether they be landscapers or not.
You are entitled to your opinion on Brewer and her alleged violation of our laws and of course if she is violating any she also falls under my rule of law view but that isn't what I am addressing here. It is only about our right to catch and detain illegal immigrants.
I do not agree with your opinion of allowing illegal immigrants to be able to stay here. There are so many reasons why not that I wouldn't even know where to start.
Which brings another question to mind. Why do you expect citizens such as Brewer to follow the rule of law but you don't expect immigrants to?
I expect both of them to follow the rule of law.
Non-Bad,
I appreciate your name change. Thank you for that.
However, you do not dictate the rules of this forum. I can post any blog I want. After all, it is my blog. My viewers ask that I speak the truth, post the latest info on Immigration and related Politics. That is what I do. If you want to restrictive Blog and post what you want, I support your ability to do so 100%.
I support Comprehensive Immigration Reform. I support our Federal Government in leading this effort as our government prescribes.
I also understand our current immigration policies are backlogged and broken. I look to our President and our current Administration to oversee and update these laws as applicable. Afterall, that is their role.
I also support our President.
God Bless our Country.
God Bless our President, Barack Obama.
God Bless our Troops.
Where did I dictate your right to post what you want in your blog? You're getting huffy with me for no reason. If this is going to be the tone I would be glad to leave if you like.
I just asked you if you think the rule of law should apply to everyone. Citizens and immigrants alike. You didn't answer.
Of course, everyone should follow the rule of law. Common sense tells you that.
NB,
LOL. You are funny NB.
Speak to the issue please. Stay on topic. No need to attack me. I have no attitude.
Regarding our current state of immigration, I believe our current policies are broken. If you wish to study the History of Immigration you will find that our immigration laws were only put in place a little over 100 years ago and were intitiated due to restrictionism -- they initiated with the Chinese Exclusion Act. Then fast forward to the Immigration Act of 1924, and you see the restrictionists sought to exclude Eastern & Southern Europeans as well as Asians. However, the borders to the south were wide open. Why? Because after slavery, we needed workers to help Nation Build and we liked their work ethic and Christian Values. That is why we invited the Latin workers to come in. Over the decades we partnered with our southern neighbors with Guest Worker programs which included the Bracero Program and programs like Venga a Michigan which continue today. Restrictionists only reared their ugly heads during times of ecnomic grief, including during the Depression and in the 1950s (with Operation Wxt Back) and in the 1970s. Other than that, we never enforced the Immigration policies for our neighbors to the south. It wasn't until the early 2000s that the restrictionists started voicing their concerns again and starting gaining momentum. That is why the number accumulated to 12M. Now, with the number this high, and if you include their children, we are talking about 20M people and WE CANNOT LOGICALLY MASS DEPORT 20 MILLION PEOPLE. No logical person things that is feasible, except for the extreme right wingers, like Russell Pearce, Jan Brewer and those from the HATE Group FAIR. Kris Kobach wrote sb1070 and he is from FAIR.
We do need Comprehensive Immigration Reform. We need CIR enacted by the Federeal Government. We need to secure the border, prosecute exploiting employers and we need to clean up the backlog in immigration courts. We need to allow those here felony free to come out of the shadows and apply for some legal status. All of this makes sense. All of it is logical. Those that stop and think about it and think through the process agree.
This was your huffy reply to me. I never said what you claimed I did below. Just own up to it and move on.
"However, you do not dictate the rules of this forum. I can post any blog I want."
The point is that we have had immigration laws for some time now and they should always have been enforced and the numbers not allowed to grow to what they are today. Every country has immigration laws.
NB,
I merely respond to comments with facts and research. No "Huffy". BTW the definition of "Huffy" is easily offended, touchy. That's not me being "Huffy." Sounds more like that guy in your mirror. LOL.
I suspect you are not used to having a Latin@ have the "utter gall" to reply to you as an equal. You probably want a Latin@ to respond to you with lowered head, bowing and scraping. Well that's not going to happen here.
You seem so sensitive. Please take the emphasis OFF ME and STICK TO TOPIC!
PHOENIX -- Nearly a dozen states have filed a legal brief in support of Arizona's controversial immigration law.
A"friend of the court" brief filed with the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday argues that a federal judge was wrong to block implementation of key provisions of the law.
The brief submitted by Michigan Attorney General Michael Cox argues that the judge used the wrong legal standard to rule on the U.S. Justice Department's request for a preliminary injunction.
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