Mayor David Cicilline stated on the Helen Glover Show this morning that the Providence Police Department informs ICE of suspects in custody before they are released from court. He is flatly contradicting his own Chief of Police.
But [Providence Police Chief Dean Esserman] later acknowledged that Providence police don’t do any investigation on their own but simply fax to ICE a copy of their arraignment sheet, which shows the names of anyone who has been arraigned that day.
Why this discrepancy between the statement of the Mayor and the statement of the Chief? When is the list faxed? While the suspect can be retained at ICE's request or when there's no point in even faxing the list?
ADDENDUM
Podcast of the interview, including the Mayor's exchange with former INS Agent Joe Bernstein, available here, courtesy Talk Radio 920 WHJJ.
Did you catch my exchange with Cicilline?His "twenty year protocol"claim was shown to be a fabrication.I did mention that the lists had dispositions on them,indicating post-arraignment transmission,and he tried lamely to say they were transmitted TWICE-give me a break!!
Posted by: joe bernstein at July 14, 2008 10:32 AMWhen they said "faxing the list" I think they meant "passing the buck."
Posted by: Citizen Critic at July 14, 2008 12:45 PMUnless Cicilline says something along the lines of "Grass is green," or "The sky is blue," he's usually lying.
Posted by: EMT at July 14, 2008 4:30 PMYeah Joe you were great as always. He shows up 45 minutes late and the only caller he got was you!
I don't think "Ask the Mayor" will ever be on again-at least with this mayor.
Joe, your appearance on Helen this morning was priceless. She just dangled the hook near his quivering lips and then unloaded with "We have a former INS agent, Joe on the line" and then it turned into the Joe and David Show. Like the old Point-Counterpoint segment but it was punch-punch again with the mayor.
Say, do we all think Cicilline will be busy next time he's due on Helen's show?
Posted by: Roland at July 14, 2008 11:28 PM Precisely why people who are targets of radio talk shows seldom do guest appearances.
As long as his job approval rating is 51 percent (below only Reed and Langevin), what incentive would he have to do this again?
And what explains this disconnect?
ARROGANCE,Rhody.Cicilline thinks he is just about the cleverest little rascal in town and can talk around any subject.Since I was discussing the specifics of what I actually was involved in for years,he had no slip and slide room,but he sure tried.
Posted by: joe bernstein at July 15, 2008 4:42 PMWAS 51%.
Six months ago.
He ain't got a shot now.
I just saw the news and there was an ICE raid on state courthouse cleaning crews and a few dozen aliens were arrested.Very timely as the Governor's panel on his executive order met today for the first time.Contractors using illegals to clean state buildings-a perfect illustration of the need for the executive order.
Jerzyk is giving this the usual breathless and frantic push on RIF and encouraging people to go join those protesting at ICE headquarters.I saw numerous kids and some Brown University types protesting on tv.
Very responsible,Matt to exacerbate a situation where children have been brought to protest.According to RIF there was some disorder as a detainee van was pulling out.I certainly hope no youngsters are injured.Their parents are real fools to use them like that.
PPD is on scene-I wonder what orders Esserman gave them?He is a disgrace to the badge.
Joe, children are routinely brought to anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage protests, too. The issue of adults bringing kids to protests cuts both ways.
Posted by: rhody at July 16, 2008 1:36 AMThat's it Rhody-use the equivalence argument like liberals do every time.I wasn't talking about an abortion or anti-gay rally.Boy,you guys are so predictable-do you use a handbook or something?I don't think taking kids to ANY demonstration with a likely chance of violence or disorder is the right thing to do.
Why lawyas divert the argument from the specific issue at hand?Howie Bart,who is personally not a bad guy at all,used to do that all the time on his radio show.David Cicilline,who I dislike personally and as a mayor,does the same thing constantly.I think sticking to what is under discussion is not a bad idea.
I meant to say "why always" divert....
Posted by: joe bernstein at July 16, 2008 7:31 AMClarification:I indicated previously that Matt Jerzyk was pushing the protest of the ICE operation with frantic and breathless rhetoric-well,to be absolutely fair Matt didn't write the exhortation personally-it was by one Meg Grady-what he did was give it front page status on his blog.The reader can make his or her own decision on the level of responsibility for this irresponsible advice to show up and protest that Jerzyk has.I think that if I own a blog,then I have some degree of obligation to answer for what appears as posts(as oppposed to comments).
Posted by: joe bernstein at July 16, 2008 10:36 AM Joe, if you're complaining about these people bringing children to protests, the equivalence argument is quite legitimate (and it's used throughout the political spectrum, too).
And given the emotions that produce protests, I'm not sure there are any left that we could watch or participate in and say there is absolutely no threat of violence or disorder. We're a nation at each other's throats in the 21st century.
"if I own a blog,then I have some degree of obligation to answer for what appears as posts(as oppposed to comments)."
Certainly it's safe to say that Matt does not disagree with what Meg wrote, Joe.
[Rhody, are you an attorney or do you just play one on t.v.?]
With the exception of very narrow, child centric issues for which I cannot even think of an example at the moment, I'm not crazy about children as props in any political or advocacy venue.
Posted by: Monique at July 16, 2008 2:05 PMI can only wish I was an attorney (there are some in my family, however). Despite our state's recession, that particular gravy train still runs on time.
Posted by: rhody at July 17, 2008 3:28 PMRhody-i think we may finally agree-after nucler war,or the impact of a large asteroid,there will still be two life forms left-cockroaches and attorneys
Posted by: joe bernstein at July 17, 2008 5:11 PMLet's say we deport a few thousand... even five or ten thousand illegal aliens... is that really going to fix the underlying economic and infrastructure problems we face here in Rhode Island?
Sad to say, but no, it is not.
This is all just some misguided dog and pony show, to offer up some sacrificial lambs to the outraged populace, to abate their anger over the massive governmental and corporate corruption and management which has presided over the decay of Rhode Island's economy and infrastructure.
When you guys are done playing ping pong with the lives of the poor and weak, maybe you'll step up to the plate, and start addressing and coming up with solutions to the very serious economic and infrastructure problems we face here in RI.
Specifically:
Is there any excuse why Providence and RI have so many excellent institutions of higher learning, but has negative job creation year after year?
Is there any reason why our roads, highways and bridges should be in such poor condition, with even large numbers of the highway lights being unlit at night?
Is there any reason why a state with one of the best natural bays in the entire United States, should have so little tourism and industry, when other states with far less impressive natural resources, seem to be able to creates more and more jobs, year after year?
Like I said, arresting and/or deporting even thousands of immigrants, cruelly seperating them from their loved ones, and taking some crumbs from the mouths of the poor and disabled on welfare... all of these things will do absolutely nothing to address and solve the very serious economic, governmental, corporate and infrastructure problems we have here in RI.
All we've done is manage to hurt, frighten, oppress and deprive large numbers of the poor, sick and weak with our recent budget and recent immigration witch hunts, and it's just absolutely pathetic and disgraceful.
Seriously, stop picking on the little weak people over small potatoes, and step up to the plate by addressing and proposing and implementing solutions to the major problems we've all got to deal with.
Because, regardless of how many immigrants you deport, or how many poor and disabled people you steal sustenance from, we will still have negative job growth, crumbling infratstructure, and wasted natural and ecucational resources... until we finally wake up and get our priorities, and consciences, in order.
Posted by: A Concerned Citizen at July 19, 2008 12:33 PMconcerned citizen
how much money have you taken ou of your own ocket and off your table and given to these foks that you wnat me to support?
they all need help but it bothers me when you love to spend my money and spend none of your own....
Posted by: johnpaycheck at July 19, 2008 2:21 PM"concerned"-we hear the same bs when criminal aliens,who are hardly 'weak and oppressed" are paicked up in fugitive sweeps-commie dog shana kurland gets on city hall steps and screams about government terrorism-don't preach at me about who I should give my imncome to-it's always easy to tell the other guy to shell out cash-there are people in my family I have to help out-they come first with me.Some of the so-called "oppressed"drive nice cars,have gold grills on their teeth,lots of bling,$400 cellphones,and money to play slots at Twin River-sell it somewhere else
Posted by: joe bernstein at July 19, 2008 3:58 PM