Chapter 79

It was just a few minutes before the 1100 hearing time when we walked in and sat down.

Senator Hope Emerson and Senator Ruth Gavin started out sarcastic and nasty as soon as Hope gaveled the committee into session.

“We have sent you subpoenas that you have not responded to by law. Do we need to hold you in contempt of Congress?” Senator Hope Emerson asked.

“I have been extremely busy, if you take the time to look at the news. I got the subpoenas this morning when I went to the office to check in. The subpoenas were addressed to me and not to the committee so they were not opened. I have today and tomorrow scheduled to be in Washington, if you want any testimony. Then I am out of the country for the rest of the month,” I said.

“You will not set this committee’s schedule. Those subpoenas have dates on them and you will be here to testify on those dates or else just who do you think you are?” Senator Hope Emerson said.

“Make your report,” she said.

I gave the same report that I had earlier without changing anything. Senator Ruth Gavin started with the questions related to the report asking for the numbers to be broken down by state.

“I will not break them down by state to preserve ongoing investigations,” I said.

“I want to know how many are going on in my state. I have been getting reports that your investigators are discriminating against religious minorities or races in my state and that you may be using stereotyping in your investigations,” Ruth said.

“Reports to the tip lines carry no information about race, creed, color, ethnicity or national origin. Each one is investigated on merit only.”

“If you allow stereotyping to be involved you are going to eliminate the ones that potentially will kill you. Terrorists come from all walks of life, races and national origin.”

“These are people with a beef against something, someone, a group or no one in particular. They can be uneducated or highly educated, poor or wealthy. They fall for the propaganda, promises, ideology or hate and in some cases, no reason other than they are looking for thrill and excitement.”

“Investigators, scientists, psychologists - some of the best in the world - have yet to come up with a definite answer as to why?” I said.

“I think this committee needs to see it broken down that way,” Senator Ruth Gavin said.

“I will take it before the agencies for review but I doubt that kind of report will be generated. A report like that may be viewed as discriminatory in itself and be misleading,” I said.

“Since this is the foreign relations committee, I have to tell you that your war on terror is beginning to cause rifts with some of the foreign nations that we consider friendly. They are calling for restraints in arrests and more understanding when dealing with their former citizens,” Senator Howell from California said.

“My best advice to them is to keep any of their citizens home that may have terroristic tendencies, otherwise they will be dealt with accordingly,” I said.

“The committee had subpoenaed the last four years of the records of Black Bear over six months ago, before the court became involved. Those subpoenas are still active and we still want those records,” Senator Howell said.

“After the court ordered Black Bear dissolved, because of the abundance of classified materials they also ordered all records sealed forever. You will have to take up that subpoena with the courts,” I said.

“JBG has to have original copies of the contracts and accounting to continue the business they acquired from Black Bear. We demand all contracts and records, plain and simple,” Senator Howell said.

“Again the court ordered those records were sealed after the agreements; you will have to deal with the courts,” I said.

“Many of the contracts Black Bear had involved foreign agreements that have a direct bearing on international relations. This committee has a duty to review those contracts and any new agreements to verify that no potential damage or infringement is be done to those relations,” Senator Howell said.

“If you approved the original contracts then you have all there is to those contracts, the only change was the name,” I said.

“That does not matter, we have subpoenaed those records and you will deliver them,” Senator Hope Emerson said.

“The next matter is this security zone agreement with Mexico; there will be issued a subpoena for all the documents and agreements,” Senator Ruth Gavin said.

“Those documents are listed as top secret by the Mexican government and by agreement, JBG, as are the documents with the security agreement with Mexpo. To allow this committee access to those documents would violate Mexican and long standing international laws and agreements.”

“Multiple federal intelligence agencies reviewed and gave their approval for JBG operations in Mexico. Those records are also sealed until 2050.”

“Another thing, those agreements are with a private company and a foreign government as are thousands of other business agreements with other foreign governments and there have been no subpoenas or investigations of them. I would have to ask our lawyers to file suit in federal court for harassment and other violations and infractions,” I said.