Raid on House in Stockton, Calif., Prompts Questions of Education Dept.

June 8, 2011, 2:36 pm

Agents of the U.S. Education Department’s Office of Inspector General raided a home in Stockton, Calif., at 6 a.m. on Tuesday in what apparently was part of an investigation involving the estranged wife of the man who lives there. According to News10, the local ABC television affiliate, the federal agents broke down the door of the house and placed Kenneth Wright and his three children, ages 3, 7, and 11, in a police car while they searched the house. An official in the inspector general’s office later confirmed that its agents had served the search warrant, but denied speculation that the raid stemmed from unpaid student loans. “This is related to a criminal investigation,” the official said in a statement quoted by Reason magazine. “The Inspector General’s Office does not execute search warrants for late loan payments.”

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kbitting

This is insane. If the story is true, I believe the agents may have over reacted on how to treat non-violent offenders during a search; especially the children. Breaking down doors at 6am and placing them in police cars, with children. Not a really great public relations move for the agency and federal law enforcement.
22259152

Welcome to the new world created by big government. Those of you who think government should be the solution are now seeing the fruits of your labors. This is the third SWAT incursion in recent weeks perpetrated against non-violent suspects which resulted in one unlawful death of an innocent former Marine. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
haohtt

The U.S. Department of EDUCATION has an office that raids homes and breaks down doors? Excuse me, what clause in the constitution authorizes a federal EDUCATION department to engage in such activities? Perhaps we need to take a harder look at the more than $60 billion dollars spent each year to maintain an agency that does not seem to be improving learning and teaching.
venganza

Welcome to the NAtional soZIalist States of America!
atana09

The SWAT type of team used, it is unclear whether it was provided by the local department or within the USDOE and federals. And they got the wrong location as the woman being sought had not lived with her ex-husband for some time. So a traumatized man and his kids, and massive PR damage for the USDOE and it was the wrong location.
It would be wise for the USDOE to at least clarify for what manner of offense that this warrant was issued. Otherwise there will be a growing anxiety within millions of the public that this was indeed over unpaid student loans.
And what’s silly, appalling about it all is first that whoever this woman is, and what she may have done, probably did not need involvement by LE door kickers. And if we are going to use that type of force for fraudulent activities regarding USDOE funds why pray tell haven’t the doors for several student loan corporation CEO’s been kicked in yet?…there is that little matter of the 9.5% scandal, other massive overbillings, fraud in processing payments, fraud in reporting on defaults and the list goes on…
22259152

The local police department complied with a request to provide one officer and one patrol vehicle. The police department was quick to point the finger at the Education Department. However, the local police should not have “held” him in a locked patrol vehicle for 6 hours.

The federal agents were from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). They are law enforcement only from the extent they further the Deparetment of Education objectives. What is freightening is that many, if not all, of the department of the executive branch maintain their own agents and operations. From the department of transportation to the postal service ( I know, it was privatized but they have their own postal inspectors with police powers), all have their version of “swat” teams.

Makes me think the federal government already has its force as well equipped as the armed forces.
atana09

“The federal agents were from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). They are law enforcement only from the extent they further the Department of Education objectives”

The local news station had acquired a copy of the local warrant, it states seizure of documents regarding financial aid, attendence or application at schools, financial records and the like. It would seem that those manner of documents would also be found at the records offices of the schools involved and within the Federal government and USDOE. Given the nature of the documents listed on the warrant it could be construed to be a search for fraudulent use of financial aid. But other connotations could also be drawn from the nature of the public copy of the warrant, which really seemed to be one issued for fishing as much for any specificity.

And the USDOE/Inspector would still be better served publically if they give some clear indication as to what this was all intended to achieve and for what offense the warrant was enacted, A statement like ““The Inspector General’s Office does not execute search warrants for late loan payments.” is not enough as it leaves public conjecture & fear about whether this could still be about defaults. This may not be a reasonable fear, but given the some 9% default rate, the legendary abuses associated with debt remediation in regards to student loans, and our shattered economy it nonetheless is going to be in the public mind. And the USDOE/IG could easily enough defuse these public fears by making a clear statement on the matter. Until they do this whole situation is going to feed the fires of general unease about student loans and their consequences, and provide yet more fodder for those who’d be suspicious of any governmental entity.
wendyxqm

As soon as I read this, I assumed it was an African family’s home, which it was. This type of excessive force and terror is a commonplace event in the African community. Look at what happened in St. Petersburg, FL earlier this year after several police killings. The African community was put on lockdown and punished as a whole, with tanks, hummer, swat teams punishing the black community with impunity. America is a police state; white America turns a blind eye.