There is another Latino appointment in the Obama Administration. This time Cuban born Alejandro Mayorkas has been selected to head the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services. He is currently a partner at O’Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles. He was appointed by President Clinton as the United States Attorney for the Central District of California, where he successfully prosecuted hate crimes.
Mayorkas was instrumental in the Carlos Vignali pardon by Bill Clinton. Carlos Vignali was serving a 15 year sentence for cocaine trafficking. His father, Horacio Vignali, was a big contributor to Antonio Villaraigosa, Xavier Becerra, Bob Hertzberg, and to the Democratic Party after his son’s conviction in 1994. Los Angeles Cardinal Mahony was even in on the lobbying effort to get the younger Vignali released, as was Hillary Clinton’s brother, Hugh Rodham, and LA Sheriff Lee Baca. I wonder how much money or quid pro quo was in it for Mayorkas to get involved in getting this coke dealer busted out. Inquiring minds want to know…or perhaps Mayorkas has more liberal views about cocaine possession and trafficking laws and will be willing to go to bat for others in another capacity (we can only hope).
10 responses so far ↓
1 theKaiser // Apr 25, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Horacio Vignali’s business relationship with George Torres further deepens the ties of who is doing what with whom. .. All very politically disturbing for these local and federal politicians listed in the posting. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/04/by-scott-glover—-a-jury-today-convicted-supermarket-mogul-george-torres-of-federal-racketeering-charges–during-a-three-we.html
2 Bearguez // Apr 26, 2009 at 12:41 pm
This may be too complicated a posting for several regulars who chat on this blog. Or rather those who have convinced themselves that all politicians with Spanish surnames are committed to representing the Latino community to the fullest extent, and are incapable of political corruption and self-serving behavior. We wonder what those at “Adventures of the Coconut Caucus,” are thinking about this. http://redbloguera.net/hispanicaucus/
3 DoctorH // Apr 29, 2009 at 8:19 am
Alejandro Mayorkas is baggage the Obama Administration doesn’t need. This is the prototypical shyster attorney with not an ounce of scruples. He would’ve been right at home in the Cheney/Bush Administration.
4 Reyfeo // Apr 29, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Obama isn;t popular with the Cuban American Community, if he was trying to throw them a bone, he missed completely!
5 El Cholo // Apr 29, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Why pick this slimeball attorney from the Clinton White House? Is Xavier Becerra having trouble getting criminals out of jail now?
6 Obama Immigration appointee another hack politician « A TowDog’s Blog // May 3, 2009 at 2:02 pm
[...] So digging further, curious about what Latino activists thought; [...]
7 Obama Immigration appointee another hack politician - towdogInCal’s blog - RedState // May 3, 2009 at 2:15 pm
[...] So digging further, curious about what Latino activists thought; [...]
8 Obama Immigration appointee another hack politician - towdogInCal’s blog - RedState web01.prod.theplanet.eaglepub.com 174.120.27.221 // Aug 13, 2009 at 9:31 am
[...] So digging further, curious about what Latino activists thought; [...]
9 Mitchell // Nov 30, 2009 at 9:48 am
If I am not mistaken, Mayorkas is on record as being in favor of one of my favorite issues to spout off about, the eb5 investor visa. The cash figure needed to acquire one of these visas is currently a half million dollars. If memory serves, Mayorkas has gone on record as being in favor of LOWERING that amount to a more attainable figure. If he is in favor of that, I am in favor of him.
10 Nathan // May 10, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Mitchell, I do believe these changes have been implemented, but not in the way we expected. There is a new EB visa called the Startup Visa, that incorporates almost all of the proposed changes to the eb5 investor visa. The new visa will eb the 6th preference employment based visa – the EB6.
Leave a Comment