Ted Poe: “A friend of mine in Texas, John, sent me a recent article from the Tucson Weekly written by Leo Banks. The article…”

“A friend of mine in Texas, John, sent me a recent article from the Tucson Weekly written by Leo Banks. The article shines a bright light on life in Arizona north of the border and the shock after the murder of Arizona rancher Robert Krentz. The murderer shot Rob, then his dog, and then fled down the Black Draw on the Geronimo Trail, headed back to Mexico. Rob's sister, Susan Pope, says things have gotten so bad, she can't honestly remember the last time she felt secure. The Popes' home is in the mountains and it has been broken into three times. Susan works as a bus driver and a teacher at the one-room Apache Elementary School. That elementary school has been burglarized so many times that nothing of value remains there. How can you teach children in an atmosphere like that? They say everybody there knew something like Rob Krentz' murder was about to happen. Susie Morales lives near Nogales. She said, when she cooks dinner in her kitchen, she can look out and see people, drug mules, with backpacks full of drugs. They are on a trail 75 yards from her front door. Another trail 50 yards from her back door exists. These trails are so close that, when Susie spots the paramilitary squads, she runs into her bathroom with her cell phone, hides and shuts the door. She has to keep her voice down so the drug cartels don't hear her calling for help, and she carries a .357 magnum with her at all times.”