June 3, 2007
A disgruntled donor, Mr. Campbell, has sued Chris Simcox and others. (See docket info.) (See actual lawsuit -- Adobe PDF file)
American Patrol does not want to take sides in the Campbell lawsuit, but a recent posting on the Minuteman Web page must not go unanswered. Why? Because American Patrol has followed the Simcox fence project since its inception and is uniquely qualified to shed light on this issue.
Let's get to the facts...
Claims of Progress
MCDC: "MCDC in its citizen demonstration fence project has built more new physical fence than the federal government, and as donations come in, our work in progress will continue to show America and the world how the U.S. border between Arizona and Mexico CAN be affordably and effectively secured with physical barrier."
This is absolute nonsense. MCDC has built less than 1/4 mile of anything that can be described as a "new physical fence." American Border Patrol's Operation B.E.E.F. found that the government has built about 80 miles of new vehicle barriers and some three miles of new single-layered fence. The government has built about two miles of new double layered people fence.
Simcox includes in his "physical fence" ten miles of stock fence that was basically already there and needed repair.
The Ladd Fence
MCDC: "Initially, the Ladds graciously offered the use of their land for the "Israeli Style Fence" design, and John Ladd personally excavated and leveled land along a 10 mile stretch of the border."
We find this difficult to believe since Ladd owns only 2 miles of the 10 miles of border frontage. The rest he leases from the State of Arizona for cattle grazing. Arizona State law does not permit capital improvements on grazing lands without a permit. There was a zero probability that the state would grant a permit for such a fence. Simcox "repaired" stock fencing along the border, which is permitted.
(On June 20, 2006 we have urged people to demand that Simcox produce a building permit before donating money for a "Israeli-style fence" )
MCDC: "The Ladd ranch eventually rejected the "Israeli" plan in favor of a more traditional range fence that would do the job they felt they needed-and the Minuteman Fence project respected their request."
Eventually? Ladd told Simcox he didn't want the Israeli-style fence before the phony "groundbreaking ceremony" on May 27, 2006. The fourteen-foot poles were erected on the Ladd ranch to con the people into making donations for a fence that Simcox knew or should have known could not be built.
MCDC: "One hundred percent of the high-speed drug running drive-throughs of Ladd property have been halted by the Minuteman 10-mile range fence that has been completed, and sixty percent of the illegal migrant traffic also has ended on the Ladd property-thanks to our fence."
This is an outrageous claim. Simcox has no way of knowing these things. American Border Patrol has photographed illegal aliens crossing the Ladd Ranch many times, as recently as June 1, 2007. (ABP also caught a shot of cattle crossing the stock fence heading into Mexico.)
From the Daily Courier - June 19, 2006 The fence has cost approximately $300,000 per mile, he said. Considering the U.S.-Mexico border is 1,980 miles long and less than 300 miles now have a fence, it would cost about $510 million to finish the fence, he estimated after his speech. That's only half of what the federal government spends each month in Iraq, he said. The Minutemen want a fence along the entire border, along with 30,000 to 40,000 National Guard troops that can guard the border instead of just doing support work as they are now, Simcox said. |
The Hodges Fence
Simcox was able to get one border land owner, Mr. Hodges, to agree to let him build a security fence on 0.9 miles of his property, about 0.6 miles of which is actually on the border. For some reason Cochise County said it had no jurisdiction over the fence, and allowed it to proceed without a completion bond - a strange position indeed.
Started with great fanfare, the Hodges fence now stands less than 25% completed, construction having been halted in November of 2006. It will continue to be an embarrassing eyesore.
Finally, Simcox has not identified any other border property where he has permission to build a fence.
Summary
The United States needs a fence along the border with Mexico. The American people want the job done and are frustrated that its government will not do the job. These people hungered for a solution and Chris Simcox promised it to them. The only problem was that he lied.
An effective private fence along the border is impossible since more than 90% of border property in Arizona, where most of the illegals cross, is government-controlled land. Simcox knows this and yet continues to solicit funds to build a private fence that cannot and will not be built.
Glenn Spencer -- American Patrol