Dear Conservative,





Imagine you are driving down the road, minding you own business, and then one wrong turn lands you in a Mexican prison.





This is exactly what happened to Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi when he made a wrong turn and accidentally drove into Mexico with three personal firearms while on his way to receive treatment at a California VA Hospital. Realizing his mistake after accidentally turning into a Mexican Customs queue, Sgt. Tahmooressi explained to Mexican officials what had happened and asked to be allowed to turn around. His requests were denied.





Mexican officials grew suspicious and searched the young man's car. During the search, they found Sgt. Tahmooressi's firearms: an AR-15 rifle, .45 caliber handgun, and 12 gauge shotgun. Though they were all legally obtained in the United States, Mexican border officials accused the young man of trying to smuggle them into Mexico!





Since the beginning of April, Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi has sat chained to a wall in a Tijuana prison. He has been forced to endure deplorable prison conditions, corrupt guards, and there have even been attempts on his life from other inmates! He has been beaten and stabbed, all because inmates realized he was a US Marine.





What started as a wrong turn has landed this military veteran in a Mexican prison on gun trafficking charges. So far, very little has been done to force Mexico to release Andrew and what the Obama administration has tried has been unsuccessful. In under a month, there will be a Mexican "trial" that will ultimately decide whether Sgt. Tahmooressi is allowed to return to his friends and family or whether he is left to endure Mexican prison-life for years. This trial is a sham and will convict Sgt. Tahmooressi if he isn't released before then.





So far, a select, bipartisan group of Congressmen has begun putting pressure on the Mexican government. That isn't enough! We need every single member of Congress to pressure and force the Mexican government to release Sgt. Tahmooressi before it is too late, and that process starts with you!





Tell Congress that it MUST place sanctions on Mexico to help secure the release of Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi from prison!





Andrew's court date is on May 28. That isn't good news. The Court system in Mexico is a sham. There are no oral arguments and the accused is essentially guilty until proven innocent. If Sgt. Tahmooressi is still in prison when his court date comes around, then his fate is already sealed. That is why we all must do our part and force Congress to intervene and ensure that a decorated Marine hero isn't left to rot in a Mexican prison all because he made a wrong turn!





A few years ago, there was a similar story of former Marine Jon Hammar who brought an antique shotgun into Mexico on a surfing trip. Even though it was clearly an antique, Mexican officials arrested him for illegal firearm possession. It was public pressure and pressure from lawmakers that ultimately got him released.





But Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi didn't have an antique firearm. He was caught with three modern and "military style" firearms and Mexican prosecutors are out for blood!





Representative Duncan Hunter (R-CA) is urging for Congress to intervene. Empty words won't get Andrew Tahmooressi out of prison. It will take actual sanctions. Rep. Hunter is calling on his colleagues to suspend all military aid to Mexico until the Sergeant is released. “In light of the Mexican government’s incarceration of Andrew, I urge you to immediately consider suspending training and equipment assistance to Mexico until Andrew’s case is resolved," he told his colleagues.





This is exactly what needs to happen, but Congress will only act if they believe that is what their constituents want!





Tell Congress that it MUST place sanctions on Mexico to help secure the release of Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi from prison!





Andrea's mother explains it best: "The brutality of being unjustly held in a foreign prison is worse than any experience I had with him serving two tours in Afghanistan... He was willing to die for his country as a Marine. Where is his country now when he needs it the most?"





That is an excellent question. We must stand beside the Tahmooressi family and force Congress to intervene before a Mexican kangaroo court convicts Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi and sentences him!





This isn't about gun control or second amendment rights. This isn't about Democrats versus Republicans. This is about ensuring that one of our nation's heroes isn't incarcerated in a Mexican prison all because he made a wrong turn on the way to receive medical treatment at a VA hospital!





Congress has the authority to act and compel the Mexican government to release Sgt. Tahmooressi. The clock is ticking and every day that passes is another day closer to the young man's court date. We must stand united and force Congress to act before it is too late!





Tell Congress that it MUST place sanctions on Mexico to help secure the release of Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi from prison!





Sincerely,





Joe Otto


Conservative Daily