Casanova Says Relationship Never Got Personal
Casanova claims that her relationship with Barton Middleton did not go past occasional conversations while she was driving him to town, and never about Immigration-related matters. But Senators seized on a comment by Middleton to Casanova that she did not have to worry about anything. Wise words, but what would she have had to worry about? The officer answered that question and explained that not even friendship would have stood in the way had she known what he was really doing.
Mark Lizarraga, Senator, Business Community
“Are you telling this Committee that you and Mr. Barton never had any conversations about this matter?”
Inez Casanova
Inez Casanova, Immigration Officer
“Which one of the matters, sir?”
Mark Lizarraga
“Well, the matter in which they came to visit Mr. Barton, because you said you didn’t know what it was about when they first came.”
Inez Casanova
“I didn’t have any conversation, because when the officers came to me and they left, that was the end of the conversation.”
Mark Lizarraga
“You and Mr. Barton never spoke about the contents of that visit – why the officers wanted to speak to him?”
Inez Casanova
“No, sir, not that I can recall, no.”
Mark Lizarraga
“Never again?”
Inez Casanova
“No.”
Mark Lizarraga
“So why did Mr. Barton see it fit to console you and tell you not to worry then?”
Inez Casanova
“About the common-law stuff.”
Mark Lizarraga
“Okay, just about the common-law stuff.”
Aldo Salazar, Chair, Senate Special Select Committee
“You have a relationship with somebody who has been identified as the person involved with the stolen visas; he’s the person who was paid three thousand dollars, he was the person that’s supposed to come; and he’s the person who handed back the passports with visas that were stolen. And this is somebody who comes with you from Orange Walk; this is somebody who has been seen with you, that you took him to the meeting…”
Inez Casanova
“Which I wasn’t aware of.”
Aldo Salazar
“That’s the testimony; that’s what Patrick Tillett says – you are disputing that, but that’s what he said, so I’m saying that’s the reason you’re here. So if this is somebody that you knew well; a part of his business appears to be involved with some wrongdoing at the Immigration Department, and he’s seen with you; you are the connection to the Immigration Department – I don’t mean with wrong doing; I mean he was identified through you – so you are that nexus; that is really the reason you are here.”
Inez Casanova
“But I don’t know what Mr. Middleton does in his time; I just know Mr. Middleton, but I don’t know what he does; his business – I don’t know anything. And another thing – I wouldn’t condone such a thing as whatever Mr. Middleton [did] – I have been in Immigration twenty-five years; I’ve never ever been involved in no wrongdoing whatsoever; my file is clean.”
