Congessman Silvestre Reyes’ bullshit detector is going haywire…

Former Chief Border Patrol Agent, and now United States Congressman Silvestre Reyes has probably heard a lot of tall tales told by agents over the years. Zach Taylor, described as the head of something called the “National Association of Former Border Patrol Officers” — “an informal association of retired Border Patrol officers”   was supposedly an “expert witness” who “claimed terrorists had entered the U.S. from Mexico at a congressional field hearing held Monday at the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB).”

The only record I can find of Taylor’s connection with the “informal group” is his name on a list of about 100 names (only two of which were identifiably “Hispanic” names) who signed some petition the group drew up.

Taylor said — UNDER OATH — that:

“It is along our southern border that terrorists have entered the United States and have been apprehended,” Taylor said, under oath. “We do not know who, how many or where they are from because we only apprehend a relatively small fraction of all persons who cross our borders illegally.”

Congressman Reyes (who used to be Taylor’s boss, and noted that Taylor filed complaints against the now-congressman on several occasions, thought the claims were a little dubious. Taylor’s proof?

it was in the Nogales International, replied Taylor, referring to an Arizona newspaper. Taylor said the newspaper reported that two “aliens” from the Middle East were apprehended traveling from Sierra Vista to Nogales. “The newspaper article said they were coming to pick up one of their associates who had crossed the border illegally,” Taylor said.

However, as the Congressman noticed, no one said the two Middle Eastern “aliens” (for all we know, they were Israelis) were “illegal” or were “terrorists”. I’ll give Taylor the benefit of the doubt, and assume they were somewhere around Nogales.

OK, that one didn’t go so well.. how about Zach’s claim that he

… personally interviewed three Syrian citizens who had entered the U.S. illegally. One of the three had told him he was a terrorist, Taylor said, so he “turned him over” to the FBI.

OOPS! Zach can’t remember when this happened, nor does the FBI nor Homeland Security have any substantiated account of any “terrorist” crossing the U.S. Mexican border. Several have crossed the Canandian/U.S. border, something Reyes felt he had to emphasize:“I know this because I sit on the Intelligence Committee.”

Zach apparently sits on some committee too. But “intelligence” isn’t the first word that leaps to mind in connection with this bozo.

(Sombrero tip to Joey Gomez and Steve Taylor at Rio Grande Guardian)