DEA AGENT'S ATTORNEY RESPONDS TO RAP-A-LOT PROBE TASK FORCE

Here is a statement released Nov. 3 by Michael J. Hinton of Houston,
attorney for DEA special agent Jack Schumacher. It responds to the Justice
Department's unveiling Thursday of a new joint DEA-FBI task force to handle
the DEA's beleaguered Rap-A-Lot records probe.

The Justice Department made the task force public with a letter from
Assistant Attorney General Dan Raben to House Government Reform Committee
Chairman Dan Burton.

The DOJ proposal of a new task force for Rap-A-Lot is absolutely
preposterous. There is already in existence a task force of DEA and HPD
(Houston Police Department) officers who have in-depth knowledge of the
players, the places in Fifth Ward where they operate, the cars they drive,
confidential informants, and much other intelligence developed information
developed over years of hard work. This is the group that Jack Schumacher
was designated to lead, and it was he, based on over 25 years of law
enforcement experience, who put together this group of highly professional
and experienced officers who know how to deal with criminals in the drug
trafficking business.

Regrettably, the Department of Justice is attempting, at the eleventh hour,
to fast-fix the mess they themselves created.

It cannot be seriously questioned that this investigation was literally
shut down in September of 1999 by Special Agent in Charge of the Houston
Office Ernest Howard. Nine officers were in attendance at the meeting when
it happened. Some were DEA, some were HPD, and all were absolutely shocked.

We now know that Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California wrote Attorney
General Janet Reno complaining of the agents and officers in this task
force, alleging civil rights violations, harassment and all manner and
means of misconduct. This complaint to Ms. Reno ended up not only in the
investigation being shut down, but also in an internal-affairs-like
investigation against Jack Schumacher and his partner, Chad Scott. Some two
weeks ago, both Agents Schumacher and Scott were cleared.

The case brought by Ms. Waters was found to have no substance at all. It is
now closed.

So, why not activate the task force that is in place and has been sitting
on idle for over 13 months while the Rap-A-Lot people have enjoyed the
reprieve they gained from Ms. Waters' intervention?

A new group of officers would take a very long time to develop anywhere
near the capability and knowledge needed to be effective in making cases,
arrests and bringing them to the District Attorney or United States
Attorney for prosecution. The Rap-A-Lot gang has already been given over a
year of reprieve because of the intervention of Congresswoman Maxine
Waters, Attorney General Janet Reno and, obviously, DEA headquarters in
Washington. While we are sure that the new agents from other parts of the
country who are proposed to be assigned to this case are dedicated law
enforcement officers, it defies logic to try to effectuate a timely and
meaningful investigation against the Rap-A-Lot associates. This case has
been shut down for over a year without any legitimate reason, and with the
proposal of a new task force, it would be at least a year, if not more,
before any headway could be expected.

The officers on this new task force are behind the 8-ball from day one, and
since there has been no misconduct by the officers in place on the task
force found, why, again, not activate this group at once? It will not take
them long to catch up on the goings on in the 5th Ward concerning these
criminals.

On the other hand, I would doubt if the officers from other parts of the
country even know what the 5th Ward is, let alone where it is.

For some reason, the Department of Justice has again overlooked the real issue.

There does not need to be a "second look" by a new group of officers at the
Rap-A-Lot organization and associates. Given the fact that the
investigation was shut down in September of 1999, for some reason, the fact
that Jack Schumacher was transferred to a desk job in March 2000, some two
days after Mr. Gore visited a church with whom Mr. Prince was associated,
seems to be over looked.

This is what should be scrutinized by the Department of Justice ­ at once.
And by Congress ­ at once. Especially since Mr. Prince acknowledges he gave
the church that Mr. Gore visited a $1 million gift and its minister a brand
new Mercedes.

While the Inspector General looks into the Maxine Waters-Prince connection
and the subsequent action by Attorney General Janet Reno, there is no
reason that the present team in place should not start at once to activate
the investigation with the knowledge that they have ­ knowledge that took
years to acquire.

The development of confidential informants on the street takes time and trust.

Officers from other parts of the country cannot expect to come in to
Houston and make any headway for a long, long period.

In the meantime, the Rap-A-Lot group continues to enjoy the reprieve that
was started by Congresswoman Waters.

The invaluable assistance that the Harris County District Attorney's Office
has given this task force cannot be overlooked, and we know they stand by
to continue vigorous prosecution of those upon whom evidence has been
gathered and formal charges accepted.

So far, the Harris County District Attorney's Office has prosecuted and
convicted three members of the Rap-A-Lot organization, and other cases are
pending.

In short, this new task force is a facade.

It is a pitiful attempt to legitimize the cover-up techniques that are
systemic in this administration. What Mr. Raven proposes does not include
the Houston Police Department or the Department of Public Safety or the
Harris County Sheriff's Office. If it is to be restricted to DEA and FBI,
the complete control of the investigation is by the Justice Department, who
will know all and tell nothing.

It is laughable that Mr. Raben, in his letter to Congress, is still trying
to stonewall agents from being interviewed by the appropriate authority in
Congress. The reference to "active criminal investigations" is exactly what
Congress's inquiry is about, and there is reference to a prosecution on
appeal that is based on the testimony of some DEA agents.

That has nothing to do with the issues.

The issues are: Why was this case shut down? How did it come about?

Were contributions given, however secretly or indirectly, to anyone who
might have had the ability to influence such a decision?

To say that DEA agents cannot be interviewed by Congress concerning these
real issues is laughable.

It is a stalling technique and nothing more.

Lastly, as of this day, after all that has come forward in the testimony of
the officers and the e-mails between DEA headquarters and the Special Agent
in charge of the Houston office, the investigation is still shut down. And
let us not forget: the focus of the investigation includes some of these
rap artists who have released, as recently as in the last few weeks, rap
songs naming Agent Schumacher and Agent Scott by name, condoning the
killing of police officers and informants and anyone who cooperates with
the police.

They are enjoying the royalties from this so-called music, the drug trade
in the 5th Ward flourishes, and the officers who were part of the task
force are still sitting on their hands.

This cannot be, and it should not be.

And the cost of this newly proposed task force to the taxpayers? Travel?
Lodging? Tine to catch up and even try to get a learning curve on what
experienced agents and officers have taken years to develop? In this
business, you cannot read a file and know the case. Officers have to
develop informants, get to know them, gain their trust.

It takes a long, long time. The taxpayer is paying out the nose for the
reinvention of the wheel.

It's just not necessary, and it gives the persons engaged in this
continuing criminal enterprise at least another year to operate and make
tons of money on which they pay no taxes. It doesn't make much sense, does it?