Our knowledgeable Napa Valley source reports that “a valuable, top-quality cabernet sauvignon wine vineyard normally receives about $3,000 per ton for the cabernet in an ‘up’ and ‘high demand’ market, which did not exist in 2001 or 2002.” [When Pelosi filed her most recent financial statement] “It is far less now, as California is confronted with a glut of premium quality grapes due to significant planting, and literally over-planting during the last ten years,” we were told.

“And this is the high side for income per ton and yield on the most expensive and desirable variety, cabernet sauvignon,“ our source stated, adding that “quality vineyards produce on average 4.5 tons per acre (as crops are thinned to improve fruit quality). The ‘return per acre’ as a gross income paid by the winery/wineries is thus $13,500 for highest quality.”

The congresswoman’s total planted grape acreage equals 9 acres x $13,500 income per acre of highest quality grapes = $121,500 total gross grape income for the two properties.

More curiously however, our California wine country source revealed that “the AVERAGE cabernet price, however, is only $1,850 per ton x 4.5 acres x 9 acres = $75,000 total gross income for the Pelosi grapes from average quality fruit. So as you can see, the congresswoman may have some explaining to do about who buys their grapes and why they may be getting such an extraordinary price for them.”

We were also told that “her vineyards are ’postage stamp’ sized and basically ‘irrelevant’ to the industry -- small, nuisance-sized parcels that at best are difficult to contract with any winery, and are in areas not known to produce quality fruit within the Oakville district. It is marginal land, which is why it was not planted historically.”

The Napa source told us that “the biggest grape grower on Skellenger Lane [where one of the Pelosi vineyards is located] is Andy Beckstoffer -- and he likes to price his grapes to sell in a $10 per bottle of wine, for goodness sake. This is hardly an indication of extraordinary grape quality!” [suggesting that Pelosi’s Skellenger fruit is average at best.]

[Pelosi’s actual approximate “wine-grape income” is between $75,000 for average fruit and $121,500 for top-line fruit, given their reported planted acreage, and provided their fruit is of average quality -- if less than average quality, then income is even lower, suggesting that there is need of an explanation unless they show significant rental income from the vineyard properties. If Pelosi's tax return shows more that $200,002 income for the two vineyards, then there may be a significant problem.]

Cryptically, our source added that “Many Napa Valley residents find it less than amusing that politicians, judges, attorneys, and certain unsavory types seem to reap outrageously high prices for their crops, regardless of their quality.”

This is particularly disconcerting, in view of an instructive quote from the March 6, 1996 Napa Valley Register: “Napa County is very attractive to the illegitimate investor, thus making it attractive to money laundering,” adding that “Drug financiers, and wholesale and distributor level traffickers often invest in Napa County real estate markets, business or industry [i.e. wineries], the agency contends.”

Thus, according to the Napa Register, the use of vineyards to launder money from other illegal sources is likely to be an issue of interest in such areas as Napa and St. Helena, California. But the real question is whether the big golden state newspapers will report the story.

“Who buys the Pelosi grape crops?” said our source, “and what wineries, and what varieties do they grow, and how much are they paid per ton of each?” said the Napa Valley resident.

The Pelosi financial claims become problematic, our source claims, “if the amounts reported by Representative Pelosi represent ‘net income’ after all expenses of farming operations, debt payment, taxes, and management costs.”

For this would suggest they literally own hundreds of acres of vines to return such a substantial net income, especially if their potential or actual income from any “residence” rental on the vineyard property does not equal the difference in reported income.” Only a tax return would substantiate claims which on the surface do not seem to add up.

Minority Leader Pelosi claims income between $200,002 and $2 million for the two properties, so there may be a discrepancy with which to be reckoned. Our source tells us that “Pelosi spends a great deal of time at her Zinfandel Lane property with a tiny vineyard on a slight slope and while her other vineyard “residences” were not observed, the issue of rental income for a property regularly used by the owners would likely be the only source of additional income.”

“There are vineyards on her Skellenger Lane property but they are not marked or named. Vineyards are laid out in blocks, often about 4.5 acres in size, and it is often impossible to tell where one begins and ends except by differing trellis systems, for example,” we were told. And our source added that the Skellenger property would likely be considered a vineyard and future home-site, as Pelosi reported -- for there were no residences for rental.

“These are times when even long-term premium growers are receiving distress prices and finding it difficult to place their crops with a buyer. How is it that the Pelosis are receiving such extraordinary income from their grapes,” said our source. “And why isn’t the congresswoman suffering the same fate as the other growers?”

These are questions that should be asked by the California media for stories in that state’s newspapers. However, they don’t seem to be following the money; but we would bet there are other Americans who are having difficulty with issues like cheap labor, loss of jobs, and subsidizing illegals with taxpayer funds -- let alone possible money-laundering.

FRIENDS IN "HIGH" PLACES

And in case anyone is wondering if there are Bush Administration links to Nancy Pelosi, the wine industry, and its California vineyard machinations -- there are some really curious ones. Moreover, the ties travel right to the White House, since George W. Bush’s 42 year old sister Dorothy “Doro” Bush-Koch is married to Washington, DC wine industry lobbyist Bobby Petri Koch -- George W.’s brother-in-law -- a match made in wine heaven. (Pictured on far left is Nancy Pelosi)

In July, 2003, Bobby Koch is set to become president and CEO of the Wine Institute, a trade organization of about 550 California wineries and affiliated businesses, according to WineSpectatorOnline (6-28-2002). Koch (pronounced “Cook”) has a past that includes stints as a staff director for past Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, and working at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for former Rep. Tony Coelho, both Democrats.

And according to the March, 2001 issue of Business Forward, interestingly, Koch played an active role in Bush’s presidential campaign, and the Democrat is even known to have Republican George W.’s ear.

However, Bush’s brother-in-law refuses to discuss his relationship with the President, says Business Forward, adding that “If I have something to say to the president, I’ll say it in private and in confidence, and I know that he can do the same with me.” So Democratic House Leader Pelosi and her fellow California grape growers and investors have a “close friend in the Republican family.”

But that’s not all. Nancy Pelosi’s 32 year-old daughter, Alexandra, a former NBC Dateline producer, had “an all access view [for eighteen months] from the back-of-the-plane of the guy who would become Bush 43” -- President George W. -- while he was running for president during the primaries, according to the Austin Chronicle. (1-3-2002)

How the younger Pelosi was picked for such a plum job as a 31 year-old was unexplained, but we will leave that to the imagination of the readers of this piece. Alexandra Pelosi, making her first film, followed George W. for a year-and-a-half on the road as an NBC producer, later editing hundreds of hours of footage into a 75 minute film called “Journeys With George.”

Of her ultimate press junket, the younger Pelosi told the Chronicle “I made this film simply to show what it was like to be a reporter sitting on the bus during a presidential campaign.” But we’re still not sure how or why a Democratic House Minority Whip’s (at the time) daughter gets eighteen months of unrestricted “access” to the Republican presidential nominee. Oh, that’s right. It was just a coincidence. So Republicans shouldn’t “wine” about the curious entree. ( Alexandra Pelosi, in a quiet moment with the President)


Savvy and informed observers will also remember that President Bush lobbied Mrs. Pelosi's House Intelligence Committee mightily against having a congressional investigation of the attacks on September 11. Ultimately, Rep. Pelosi became a co-chairperson of the Joint 9/11 Congressional Intelligence Committee -- having access to unpublicized 9/11 evidence at the very highest level.

Moreover, it has been widely acknowledged by hundreds of 9/11 independent researchers and websites exclusively devoted to the unanswered questions of September 11, that Rep. Pelosi's Committee effectively conducted a closed-door, sham and whitewashed 9/11 probe -- with virtually none of the key lines of inquiry publicly addressed  -- such as a) governmental deception and prior warnings, b) failed military air-defenses, c) pre-9/11 insider trading and the secret SEC "Control List," d) congressmen and senators meeting on the day of the attacks with the individual funding the hijackers, e) FBI obstruction of its field agents investigating Islamic terrorism, f) V.P. Cheney's refusal to divulge the members and agenda of the Presidential Energy Task Force and its relationship to terrorism, oil, gas, and the Caspian Sea basin, etc.

SUBSIDIZING WEALTH AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE

While Minority Leader Pelosi advocates and requests actions that clearly benefit illegal immigrants -- providing an endless supply of readily available and cheap but illegal labor for California farms [the "public services" for this labor, such as schools, police-fire protection, hospitals, and insurance premiums are subsidized by U.S. taxpayers], she and her grape growing associates and campaign contributors own vineyards in Napa County -- This, with ready-made opportunities to exploit their adjacent access to the infinite and illegal labor bounty.

Moreover, the unregulated immigration [and concomitant violation of multiple federal laws] which the powerful congresswoman advocates has staggering tax implications for medical care, schools, housing, food stamps, police, and fire protection.

Most Americans are totally unaware that Congress has enacted laws related to "chain immigration."  For once illegals acquire forged papers  or "back-door" bank accounts and driver licenses via matricula consular cards, and otherwise begin to develop their legitimacy as citizens, they may summon their family and relatives to also enter the country to acquire citizenship -- further extending the fraud while abusing the immigration laws.   ( INS building, San Francisco, Ca 1-18-2003)


Since the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has no viable record or clue as to where literally millions of illegals are located, how many there are, and what they are doing, etc., the agency is powerless to stop the endless stream of illegals moving into the cheap labor jobs as prior illegals  move on to compete with legal U.S. citizens for better-paying union jobs.  Legitimate American citizens just pick up the tab for Pelosi’s support of lawbreakers and her weak congressional oversight of the INS.
(INS Building- San Francisco, Ca 1-18-2003)

All this, notwithstanding a host of other taxpayer-funded services provided by legal American citizens. And what about foreigners who waited their turn to enter the U.S.A. without resorting to climbing fences, crawling through tunnels, jumping off boats at unguarded coastlines, or wading the Rio Grande river?

That her “undocumented constituents” are exploiting Mrs. Pelosi’s willingness to subsidize illegals at taxpayer expense while potentially providing cheap labor for her personal use and that of her friends, fellow landowners, and campaign contributors merits serious attention. And lawmakers look the other way -- confident that their local constituents will not "recall" them in between elections for their oversight failures.
(INS Building- San Francisco, Ca 1-18-2003)

Politicians from both sides of the aisle are literally tripping over themselves to pander for the votes border-crossing lawbreakers attempting to jump to the front of the line to become illegal citizens -- assisted and supported by powerful lawmakers with campaign and personal finance conflicts of interest.  This at the expense of law-abiding Americans who pay for automatic congressional salary increases and lavish pensions and perks, only to become financial and even 9/11 victims of congressional failure to protect the country by sealing the borders from terrorists who murder and lawbreakers who steal services from the public tax coffers.

No one is asking Leader Pelosi whether she is trading campaign cash from cheap-labor oriented industries in return for her un-enforced and unregulated immigration advocacy -- while potentially garnering some extra personal income for herself and her cheap-labor-seeking business associates and contributors -- all off the backs of an endless stream of illegals and otherwise low-cost labor.

Meanwhile, legitimate American citizens pick up the debt-load and increased tax tab for extra “services” and “maintenance” prior to when her “undocumented constituents” obtain their illegal and forged papers to perpetuate the same fraud well into future generations.

Bethany Rich, spokeswoman for the Fed’s General Services Administration (GSA), said “Mrs. Pelosi requested the procedure [to assist illegals] so cardholders would have access to the Internal Revenue Service office in the Federal Building.” However, Rich never explained how or why Pelosi would think illegals should be submitting tax returns if they had violated federal laws by entering the country illegally.

“Any illegal immigrant living in the U.S. can ask to speak to ‘their representative’ [?] in the district where they are illegally residing. Did you know that,” Cindy Jimenez told us, adding that “we do not ask brown-skinned people to see their ID cards in America.”


According to the Washington Times (1-10-2003), Pelosi’s new procedure was reviewed by U.S. Marshals and GSA’s Federal Protective Service, which provides security for the building: “They reviewed the security risks, and deemed them to be minimal,” Rich said.

However, according to staff lawyers at Friends of Immigration Law Enforcement (FILE), actions “aiding and abetting an illegal entrant in his continued illegal residence in the United States constitutes a dangerous and unreasonable risk to the health and safety of the public, since, among other reasons, unlike legal entrants, an illegal entrant is not subject to a criminal background or health check before entering the United States.”

Our attempts to directly contact Pelosi for comment as to why she refuses to require illegals to undergo criminal background and health checks before allowing American taxpayers to support them with services accorded only to legal citizens were unsuccessful.

When asked whether she thought the INS was doing a vigilant job in protecting the sovereignty of America’s borders from those immigrants and terrorists who have been entering and residing in the country illegally, Pelosi’s press spokesperson Cindy Jimenez replied, “I am not going to get into issues dealing with why illegals are allowed to pass across our borders. I have to go now. Goodbye.” So much for tough questions.

BANKING ON AN ENDLESS SOURCE OF NEW BANK ACCOUNTS

Los Angeles Wells Fargo Bank -- in violation of federal law -- has entered into an "arrangement" with the Consulate General of Mexico to accept the Matricula Consular card as valid identification for opening bank accounts. [Click here to read story]

Pelosi (D-8th-CA), ranked as the 17th richest Washington, DC House or Senate lawmaker in the 9-9-2002 issue of Roll Call, lists a Wells Fargo Bank mortgage held by her husband on San Francisco real estate for between $500,000 and $1 million dollars, and a joint Wells Fargo account for between $15,000 and $50,000.

Thus, Pelosi benefits from a huge Wells Fargo mortgage while her bank benefits from thousands of new accounts opened by illegal immigrants -- funneled indirectly toward the bank by Leader Pelosi’s pro-illegal advocacy. Such examples of Washington’s unspoken quid-pro-quo business-legislator climate speaks volumes as perks are passed around, even in the face of current unpunished corporate stock fraud.

According to her financial statement, Nancy Pelosi and her husband live in a Washington K Street residence worth between $1 million and $5 million, and recently purchased a Norden, CA town home worth between $1 million and $5 million. A visit to www.opensecrets.org will acquaint the uninitiated citizen as to the financial status of their own legislators and administration officials.

According to the office of Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-6th-CO), chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, a number of American banks currently recognize the card issued by Mexican consular officials throughout the U.S. to illegals as a valid ID to open an account, including such large institutions as Wells Fargo Bank, Bank One, and U.S. Bancorp, etc.

Thus far there are no statistics regarding how many illegal immigrants open new bank accounts using forged documents available on the internet, according to Tancredo. And statistics are thus far unavailable as to how many illegals or questionable immigrants are working in the California vineyards and raisin farms.

But Tancredo said that “Mexican officials have stated that getting local governments to accept these cards is a way to maneuver around the U.S. Congress -- which has so far blocked attempts to pass any amnesty provision for illegal aliens.”

“It is extremely disconcerting to see agents of a foreign country actively trying to lobby American elected officials to aid and abet lawbreakers, but it is even more infuriating when cities and members of Congress become co-conspirators,” said Tancredo.

Unbelievably, Knight-Ridder Newspapers (1-13-2003), reported that Mexico literally bypassed the U.S. government: “The matricula is the greatest achievement of the Mexican government, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the Bush Administration,” said Primitivo Rodriguez, a Mexican sociologist, immigration expert and author. “Mexico never talked with Bush or with Secretary of State Colin Powell or any legislators. They talked to banks.”

The Colorado legislator’s press release on the matter said that the Phillip Burton Federal Building, site of Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco district office, is the first of its type in the country to accept the Mexican Consulate ID card. The building began accepting the cards on Wednesday, January 8, 2003, as part of a four-month trial program, which incredibly, will mainly serve illegal immigrants who are ineligible for U.S. identification.

LAW & ETHICS VS. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

While we have recently been harsh regarding the corruption of the Bush administration, the actions of the House Minority Leader clearly present potential incidences of Federal law violation. And as such, should be investigated and prosecuted with equal intensity so that the public’s confidence in the legal system is restored.

(Doro Bush-Koch, Wife of Bobby Koch - - Wine industry lobbyist)

[Lou Dobb’s CNN “Daily Enron Scoreboard” reminds citizens that the legal system is broken and white collar financial crime is left unpunished. Moreover, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott just lost his position for an off-handed racial comment while House Minority Leader Pelosi’s actions literally abet and aid terrorists and law-breaking illegals -- while also encouraging criminal and health hazards. Where is the equality? Where is the fairness? Tucked away behind a cloak of personal and financial conflicts of interest?]

In Section 274 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), criminal penalties are provided for regarding Pelosi’s acts which clearly “encourages or induces an alien to come to, enter, or reside in the United States, knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such coming to, entry, or residence is or will be in violation of law.”

The only question remaining is whether a talented attorney or legal organization has the courage and tenacity to pursue a claim against the Justice Department for failure in its oversight responsibility concerning citizens and/or legislators who use their power to violate federal immigration laws.