Justice Sought for Widow of Victim Killed In Mexican Border Attack

I am proud to announce that Judicial Watch is representing Tiffany Hartley, the widow of David Hartley, who was murdered on Falcon Lake in Texas. The lake spans a large section of the border between Texas and Mexico. Hartley is believed to have been gunned down by members of the Mexican Zeta drug cartel, which has control of the lake.

Nearly eight months after the murder, Mr. Hartley’s body has yet to be recovered and the federal government has ended its participation in this case. Mr. and Mrs. Hartley had been jet-skiing on the lake, which is a major tourist destination, when the attack occurred. Tiffany Hartley barely survived the attack by fleeing on her jet ski after trying desperately to pull her husband out of the water.

Judicial Watch is calling on the Mexican government and the Obama administration to thoroughly investigate the September 30, 2010, murder of David Hartley on Falcon Lake. We’ve also launched an investigation of David Hartley’s murder, and are moving to identify and obtain all government records pertaining to the September shooting, including Obama administration communications with their Mexican counterparts, as well as law enforcement officials, Mexican military authorities, and others.

Mrs. Hartley is owed a full and thorough investigation into the murder of her husband. She deserves accountability from both the Mexican authorities and the Obama administration. So far, the pursuit of justice apparently has been suppressed for political reasons on both sides of the border. It’s shameful and wrong.

Our work with Ms. Hartley began full throttle last week. Ms. Hartley and Judicial Watch met with a number of congressmen here in Washington and participated in a press conference kindly hosted on the U.S. Capitol grounds by Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX). Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA) also took the time to participate in the press conference (which received a nice write-up here). Judicial Watch sure appreciates the demonstrated leadership of these two House members that is so sorely lacking from the Obama administration.

You may have seen news reports of President Obama dishonestly suggesting this week that the border is “secure” in a campaign speech boosting amnesty for illegal alien lawbreakers. I’m convinced that one reason the Obama administration has dropped the ball on the Hartley murder is that the crime is at odds with the Obama administration myth that the border is secure and safe. In fact, there was — just last week — a major naval battle on the lake between the Mexican navy and drug pirates that resulted in 13 deaths!

I’ll close with a statement by Rep. Poe, who has gone the extra mile to help Tiffany:

It has been nearly eight months since David Hartley was gunned down on Falcon Lake. His wife Tiffany is still left with no answers about the death of her husband. Mrs. Hartley is not alone. Last year 111 U.S. citizens were killed in Mexico, to this day none of those cases have been solved. In many of these cases the Federal Government has abandoned the investigations leaving it up to the Mexican government to solve, no questions asked. It is past time that the American government stays on top of the Mexican government for solving the murders of our own citizens.