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Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen responds to news that Jon Hammar will be released a from Mexican prison
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They corporal John hammer found out he's going to be spending Christmas with his family rather than of course alone and dirty Mexican prison.
-- family is from Florida and several members of the Florida congressional delegation.
Including senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio helped lead the fight to free -- -- But perhaps the most vocal all of them was congresswoman Ileana ros Lehtinen.
Who joins us now from Miami with the inside story of how this all went down congress -- Ross -- is so good to CEO and now you all been beaten up over there in congress -- your approval ratings way down but now.
We see congress actually.
Gets results with the help of a factor of course at all Fox News but go ahead tell us what cap and -- -- -- how to talk about it.
Well absolutely.
Fox News and and -- Reilly factor.
You guys saved his life I mean literally.
Remember that is as you said in that in the top of the program.
The parents tried to do it the old fashioned way.
China's been rotting in that -- since August and the parents did the right thing they wanted to go through different channels they hire a lawyer after lawyer after lawyer.
They had prayers services go -- here in our community.
And they didn't contact us until just a few weeks ago as soon as they contacted us.
What constituent service is what I lived for and we pounced on this story.
And thanks to -- you guys at fox you are able to save his life and that.
Who knew how the story was gonna end up the parents knew that they -- -- taking a risk.
But so far they are -- easy manner was not getting them results so they said we've gotten up in the list.
And those first days of media attention from fox.
We're really rough for John because the guards would that would that would guy.
Wrap on his cell and say hey -- what he doing.
Why why is the press calling so thank you to everyone who prayed for John thank you to everyone who worked for -- And let me tell you are the members of congress.
We had over seventy members who sign a bipartisan letter.
Put to Hillary Clinton and CNN a -- on -- demanding that they get active on this case because up -- then.
All we were hearing were status report said of John shackled to his bad -- See some progress -- and why did that happen and bill's gonna go into a lot more on that's in the new year but.
Why did this happen I mean I you know the parents decided to wait to -- contact.
Look they are -- people to get at their own way and I respect that.
But what about the State Department it would it would seem that if -- an American marine.
Two tours of duty suffering from -- PT SD.
And that's obviously with some trumped up deal you know what happens of extortion down absolute why wasn't the administration.
-- that so maybe they were behind the scenes and just didn't get anywhere -- to me it seems very strange.
It is very.
Audit and we we kept calling and we and we made all all the the right inquiries about what he doing and why aren't you step it up to this -- this case because.
The our embassy should be advocating.
-- for the release of Americans who -- unjustly detained not just give a status report so it took a lot of congressional.
Pressure.
And it took a lot of media attention spots again on felony.
You guys what what you did for up for John hammer away at that that family is just so grateful their constituents of -- congressional district.
But what they've got happen and they are in Mexico.
It is it is an on rule in place we wish the new president -- and yet though.
Much success he's going to reform the penal system the whole judicial system.
But those jails many of them are run by the drug cartels.
That's why the inmates the fellow cell mates of John hammer were calling the parents in the middle of the night.
Saying you're going goes -- is dead unless you pay up just imagine what these parents have been going through.
Thank goodness that that the the people in the church were really hold them up and praying with them and make enough strong.
But that this is a -- this is a business that they have going on -- -- where they get citizens and then they try to extort money from them.
And congress and I think a lot of folks watching right now aren't aware of the fact that I think it was between January of 2011 and last June.
There were a 144.
Murders of Americans.
In Mexico out now a lot of people still go on vacation in Mexico had a great time -- -- and not content but did I'm not talking about that but it is a dangerous place.
And you end up on it -- in Mexico and -- -- an out nuggets and it all movie about this goes right alcohol going down as a matter of fact that's watch that -- -- It sounds like what was flying out in this in this situation.
Without corporal hammer and -- money -- -- -- money it is watch.
Whatever they -- absolutely.
And even to this today when he is -- being processed out of out of the prison and we have the State Department consul affairs.
Custom and Border Patrol immigration services -- they've got the black suburban is ready to take him.
The fifteen to twenty miles to Brownsville across the border.
It has taken all day to process him out of jail so they're very few checks and balances there and one has to be very wary about.
-- -- This is a great country there's no place like home.
Congress Summitt thanks so much for all your work and we really pretty thank you Lorena thanks all right.
