4 Investigates: Clear Deception pt. 1
KOB 4
[{'start': '5.040', 'end': '10.320', 'text': 'When the FBI raided the homes of police'}, {'start': '7.359', 'end': '12.240', 'text': 'and an attorney in 2024, it was the'}, {'start': '10.320', 'end': '14.480', 'text': 'beginning of the end. Who else is'}, {'start': '12.240', 'end': '16.400', 'text': 'involved? Where does this stop? How deep'}, {'start': '14.480', 'end': '19.600', 'text': 'does it go? How do we trust law'}, {'start': '16.400', 'end': '22.000', 'text': 'enforcement? How do we trust the system?'}, {'start': '19.600', 'end': '24.000', 'text': 'Now, officers of the law are admitting'}, {'start': '22.000', 'end': '26.880', 'text': 'they betrayed the badge, letting drunk'}, {'start': '24.000', 'end': '29.119', 'text': 'drivers go for a price. The color of'}, {'start': '26.880', 'end': '31.920', 'text': 'justice is green. Should this have been'}, {'start': '29.119', 'end': '33.840', 'text': 'caught earlier? Of course. Much earlier.'}, {'start': '31.920', 'end': '37.120', 'text': 'The man who admitted to pulling the'}, {'start': '33.840', 'end': '39.760', 'text': 'strings is extremely wellconed. Thomas'}, {'start': '37.120', 'end': '42.320', 'text': 'Clear III. Clear was the hub around'}, {'start': '39.760', 'end': '43.680', 'text': 'which all of the spokes. And I hope all'}, {'start': '42.320', 'end': '45.760', 'text': "of you go down and you're going to get"}, {'start': '43.680', 'end': '49.600', 'text': 'what you deserve. Every single one of'}, {'start': '45.760', 'end': '52.320', 'text': 'you. Four investigates. Clear deception.'}, {'start': '49.600', 'end': '54.960', 'text': 'We went through more than 2,000 of'}, {'start': '52.320', 'end': '57.600', 'text': "Thomas Clear's cases. We found police"}, {'start': '54.960', 'end': '62.039', 'text': 'officers from multiple agencies with'}, {'start': '57.600', 'end': '64.400', 'text': 'suspicious records. 1600 DWI cases'}, {'start': '62.039', 'end': '67.360', 'text': 'dismissed, allowing accused drunk'}, {'start': '64.400', 'end': '70.560', 'text': 'drivers to evade consequences. People'}, {'start': '67.360', 'end': '72.640', 'text': "close to Clear haven't wanted to talk."}, {'start': '70.560', 'end': '75.439', 'text': 'But through public records, news'}, {'start': '72.640', 'end': '78.159', 'text': 'archives, and documents never before'}, {'start': '75.439', 'end': '80.320', 'text': 'made public, we have identified how'}, {'start': '78.159', 'end': '83.119', 'text': "systems failed to catch Clear's"}, {'start': '80.320', 'end': '86.159', 'text': 'deception years ago. Part of what made'}, {'start': '83.119', 'end': '88.560', 'text': "this criminal enterprise work is Clear's"}, {'start': '86.159', 'end': '91.280', 'text': 'connections. Four investigates work to'}, {'start': '88.560', 'end': '94.400', 'text': "uncover Clear's history begins long"}, {'start': '91.280', 'end': '94.400', 'text': 'before this scandal'}, {'start': '94.600', 'end': '101.260', 'text': 'did. 1979.'}, {'start': '96.910', 'end': '101.260', 'text': '[Music]'}, {'start': '101.439', 'end': '106.399', 'text': 'The UNM graduate is the son of an'}, {'start': '103.520', 'end': '108.479', 'text': 'accomplished lawyer. Thomas Clear Jr., A'}, {'start': '106.399', 'end': '111.040', 'text': 'US Navy veteran ran for public office'}, {'start': '108.479', 'end': '113.759', 'text': 'three times, including a bid to be New'}, {'start': '111.040', 'end': '116.079', 'text': "Mexico's governor. His son, Thomas Clear"}, {'start': '113.759', 'end': '118.560', 'text': 'III, appeared to have it all.'}, {'start': '116.079', 'end': '120.960', 'text': "Outstanding Greek man at UNM's Sigma"}, {'start': '118.560', 'end': '123.600', 'text': 'Alphaepsilon fraternity, leadership'}, {'start': '120.960', 'end': '126.479', 'text': 'roles, and named one of the outstanding'}, {'start': '123.600', 'end': '128.319', 'text': 'young men of America. He graduated law'}, {'start': '126.479', 'end': '131.120', 'text': 'school in Texas before passing New'}, {'start': '128.319', 'end': '135.120', 'text': "Mexico's bar in 82 and then went to work"}, {'start': '131.120', 'end': '138.640', 'text': 'for his dad. Just 4 years later, the'}, {'start': '135.120', 'end': '141.360', 'text': 'first red flag. 1986, an Albuquerque'}, {'start': '138.640', 'end': '143.920', 'text': "Tribune headline. Lawyer Stall's own"}, {'start': '141.360', 'end': '145.680', 'text': 'trial 8 months. Clear faced an assault'}, {'start': '143.920', 'end': '148.160', 'text': 'and battery charge and tried to use a'}, {'start': '145.680', 'end': '150.640', 'text': 'speedy trial rule to get the case'}, {'start': '148.160', 'end': '152.879', 'text': 'dismissed. However, a district court'}, {'start': '150.640', 'end': '155.200', 'text': 'judge ruled Clear himself caused the'}, {'start': '152.879', 'end': '156.879', 'text': 'delay. By telling prosecutors he needed'}, {'start': '155.200', 'end': '158.720', 'text': 'more time, prosecutors told their'}, {'start': '156.879', 'end': '161.120', 'text': "witnesses they didn't need to show up to"}, {'start': '158.720', 'end': '165.160', 'text': 'court. The judge called the case. Clear'}, {'start': '161.120', 'end': '167.680', 'text': 'was there. Witnesses were not. Case'}, {'start': '165.160', 'end': '169.760', 'text': 'dismissed. Tommy Juel was one of the'}, {'start': '167.680', 'end': '173.040', 'text': 'judges who handled the case. Clear'}, {'start': '169.760', 'end': '175.040', 'text': 'worked for Juel as his campaign manager.'}, {'start': '173.040', 'end': '177.120', 'text': 'Clear resigned from his campaign and'}, {'start': '175.040', 'end': '180.480', 'text': 'Juel removed himself from the case.'}, {'start': '177.120', 'end': '184.480', 'text': 'Clear says his DWI scheme began a few'}, {'start': '180.480', 'end': '187.760', 'text': 'years later in the 1990s, paying cops to'}, {'start': '184.480', 'end': '190.239', 'text': 'miss court and get cases tossed. In'}, {'start': '187.760', 'end': '193.879', 'text': '1998, Clear takes a federal drug'}, {'start': '190.239', 'end': '196.239', 'text': 'smuggling case representing Ricardo Rick'}, {'start': '193.879', 'end': '197.920', 'text': 'Mendes. He gets his federal charges'}, {'start': '196.239', 'end': '200.959', 'text': 'dropped and then Rick goes to work for'}, {'start': '197.920', 'end': '203.920', 'text': 'Clear. We now know as the right-hand man'}, {'start': '200.959', 'end': '206.800', 'text': 'in this criminal enterprise.'}, {'start': '203.920', 'end': '209.440', 'text': "Clear's reputation as a prominent DWI"}, {'start': '206.800', 'end': '212.799', 'text': 'attorney quickly grew from representing'}, {'start': '209.440', 'end': '216.959', 'text': 'a dozen suspected drunk drivers in 95 to'}, {'start': '212.799', 'end': '220.640', 'text': 'more than 150 by 2003 with an eyepopping'}, {'start': '216.959', 'end': '222.120', 'text': 'dismissal rate that year close to 75%.'}, {'start': '220.640', 'end': '225.519', 'text': 'Are'}, {'start': '222.120', 'end': '228.080', 'text': 'DWIs generally hard cases for you to'}, {'start': '225.519', 'end': '230.640', 'text': 'defend against? Yes, DWIs are one of the'}, {'start': '228.080', 'end': '232.720', 'text': 'harder cases to defend. KOB legal expert'}, {'start': '230.640', 'end': '235.360', 'text': 'and local defense attorney Ahmad Assad'}, {'start': '232.720', 'end': '238.640', 'text': "says Clear's well-known good luck with"}, {'start': '235.360', 'end': '241.040', 'text': 'DWI cases should have been a sign. There'}, {'start': '238.640', 'end': '243.040', 'text': 'are a number of reasons why somebody'}, {'start': '241.040', 'end': '246.159', 'text': "should have picked up on there's"}, {'start': '243.040', 'end': '249.040', 'text': 'something wrong here. Somebody should'}, {'start': '246.159', 'end': '252.159', 'text': 'have. Someone did pick up on it. In'}, {'start': '249.040', 'end': '254.720', 'text': '2004, we talked to DWI Resource Center'}, {'start': '252.159', 'end': '257.519', 'text': 'Executive Director Linda Atkinson. You'}, {'start': '254.720', 'end': '261.040', 'text': 'cannot dismiss DWIs in the state of New'}, {'start': '257.519', 'end': '263.720', 'text': 'Mexico. Data we collected showed 2004'}, {'start': '261.040', 'end': '267.759', 'text': "was one of Clear's most successful"}, {'start': '263.720', 'end': '271.199', 'text': 'years, 150 clients, with nearly 80% of'}, {'start': '267.759', 'end': '273.840', 'text': 'their cases thrown out. Atinson says she'}, {'start': '271.199', 'end': '276.960', 'text': 'now knows what that nagging feeling was'}, {'start': '273.840', 'end': '279.360', 'text': 'so many years ago. I knew it. I knew it'}, {'start': '276.960', 'end': '281.759', 'text': "back then and we didn't have the, you"}, {'start': '279.360', 'end': '284.080', 'text': 'know, the manpower to go and and dig and'}, {'start': '281.759', 'end': '286.160', 'text': 'and be more public about that. But she'}, {'start': '284.080', 'end': '288.720', 'text': "knows there's a big difference between"}, {'start': '286.160', 'end': '290.560', 'text': 'what you feel and what you can prove.'}, {'start': '288.720', 'end': '293.199', 'text': 'Four investigates discovered one of'}, {'start': '290.560', 'end': '295.840', 'text': "Clear's former employees had that same"}, {'start': '293.199', 'end': '298.639', 'text': 'feeling that something was up. Taking'}, {'start': '295.840', 'end': '300.639', 'text': 'his concerns to our state supreme court.'}, {'start': '298.639', 'end': '302.880', 'text': 'It looked like you tried to be the'}, {'start': '300.639', 'end': '304.160', 'text': 'whistleblower on this thing years ago.'}, {'start': '302.880', 'end': '306.240', 'text': "But any I didn't know anything about the"}, {'start': '304.160', 'end': '308.240', 'text': 'DWI stuff is how he conducted himself'}, {'start': '306.240', 'end': '310.680', 'text': 'with these officers. Clear hired Donald'}, {'start': '308.240', 'end': '312.720', 'text': 'Rodriguez in the mid'}, {'start': '310.680', 'end': '314.240', 'text': '2000s, answering the phones and'}, {'start': '312.720', 'end': '317.120', 'text': 'interacting with clients at his'}, {'start': '314.240', 'end': '319.960', 'text': 'northeast Albuquerque home office. Clear'}, {'start': '317.120', 'end': '323.039', 'text': 'fired Rodriguez after a falling out in'}, {'start': '319.960', 'end': '326.320', 'text': '2009. Then Rodriguez says Clear accused'}, {'start': '323.039', 'end': '329.199', 'text': 'him of making harassing phone calls and'}, {'start': '326.320', 'end': '331.120', 'text': 'the legal games began. So they sent a'}, {'start': '329.199', 'end': '332.720', 'text': 'criminal summon to the wrong house to'}, {'start': '331.120', 'end': '335.199', 'text': "the wrong house knowing that you weren't"}, {'start': '332.720', 'end': '336.880', 'text': 'there. Correct. and then showed up at'}, {'start': '335.199', 'end': '339.199', 'text': 'your current house with the failure to'}, {'start': '336.880', 'end': '341.199', 'text': 'appear warrant to haul you in. Four'}, {'start': '339.199', 'end': '343.199', 'text': 'cops, four police officers. Four of'}, {'start': '341.199', 'end': '345.919', 'text': 'them. Rodriguez spent a day and a half'}, {'start': '343.199', 'end': '347.880', 'text': 'in jail. The charge quickly dropped'}, {'start': '345.919', 'end': '350.800', 'text': 'after phone records showed no'}, {'start': '347.880', 'end': '352.960', 'text': 'harassment. Rodriguez went after Clear'}, {'start': '350.800', 'end': '356.320', 'text': 'for malicious prosecution with a civil'}, {'start': '352.960', 'end': '358.080', 'text': 'lawsuit. And he went a step further. In'}, {'start': '356.320', 'end': '359.680', 'text': '2009, he sent a letter to the'}, {'start': '358.080', 'end': '362.080', 'text': 'disciplinary board of the New Mexico'}, {'start': '359.680', 'end': '363.600', 'text': 'Supreme Court about what he saw at'}, {'start': '362.080', 'end': '365.840', 'text': "Clear's office."}, {'start': '363.600', 'end': '368.080', 'text': 'The three-page letter claims Clear told'}, {'start': '365.840', 'end': '370.720', 'text': 'him, "I don\'t want a paper trail of'}, {'start': '368.080', 'end': '373.039', 'text': 'client payments." Rodriguez says Clear'}, {'start': '370.720', 'end': '376.319', 'text': 'once used a paint mask to fake a'}, {'start': '373.039', 'end': '378.240', 'text': 'sickness. He had me faxed to a judge,'}, {'start': '376.319', 'end': '380.639', 'text': 'his office, a continuence with a'}, {'start': '378.240', 'end': '382.639', 'text': "doctor's note saying that he may have"}, {'start': '380.639', 'end': '384.160', 'text': 'contracted swine flu to get a'}, {'start': '382.639', 'end': '386.160', 'text': 'continuence. And this judge was down'}, {'start': '384.160', 'end': '388.479', 'text': 'south somewhere. This is long before CO.'}, {'start': '386.160', 'end': '390.080', 'text': 'This is long before CO. And so I told'}, {'start': '388.479', 'end': '391.919', 'text': 'him, I said, you know, and so I did it.'}, {'start': '390.080', 'end': '393.759', 'text': 'I did what I was told knowing that there'}, {'start': '391.919', 'end': '396.880', 'text': "were nothing wrong with him and how he'd"}, {'start': '393.759', 'end': '399.440', 'text': 'brag about winning DWI cases. And when'}, {'start': '396.880', 'end': '402.319', 'text': 'someone asked how he gesture indicating'}, {'start': '399.440', 'end': '405.360', 'text': 'he did some type of favor for someone,'}, {'start': '402.319', 'end': '407.600', 'text': 'the last line, "It is my opinion that'}, {'start': '405.360', 'end': '410.240', 'text': "Mr. Clear's ethics are in serious"}, {'start': '407.600', 'end': '411.680', 'text': 'question," Rodriguez wrote. The'}, {'start': '410.240', 'end': '414.080', 'text': 'disciplinary board refused to get'}, {'start': '411.680', 'end': '416.160', 'text': 'involved with an ongoing civil lawsuit.'}, {'start': '414.080', 'end': '418.240', 'text': "They told Rodriguez it's on him to"}, {'start': '416.160', 'end': '420.639', 'text': 'reopen the matter should he choose to'}, {'start': '418.240', 'end': '422.800', 'text': 'after his civil case. Clear paid'}, {'start': '420.639', 'end': '425.520', 'text': 'Rodriguez a hefty settlement to drop the'}, {'start': '422.800', 'end': '428.720', 'text': 'civil suit and Rodriguez never followed'}, {'start': '425.520', 'end': '431.479', 'text': "up with the board. It's disturbing to me"}, {'start': '428.720', 'end': '433.680', 'text': "that the legal system didn't look into"}, {'start': '431.479', 'end': '436.240', 'text': "it. You know, they're the ones that are"}, {'start': '433.680', 'end': '437.840', 'text': 'the guardians of the attorneys and they'}, {'start': '436.240', 'end': '439.440', 'text': 'just turned a blind eye, just left it'}, {'start': '437.840', 'end': '442.400', 'text': 'alone.'}, {'start': '439.440', 'end': '445.599', 'text': 'The scheme continued. Now convicted'}, {'start': '442.400', 'end': '448.319', 'text': "criminals, former officers admit Clear's"}, {'start': '445.599', 'end': '450.800', 'text': 'list of crooked cops was getting longer.'}, {'start': '448.319', 'end': '453.400', 'text': 'Close to two dozen are implicated from'}, {'start': '450.800', 'end': '456.319', 'text': "New Mexico's three largest police"}, {'start': '453.400', 'end': '458.319', 'text': 'agencies, but data points to many'}, {'start': '456.319', 'end': '460.720', 'text': "others. I think a lot of it's going to"}, {'start': '458.319', 'end': '463.440', 'text': 'start hitting retired officers at this'}, {'start': '460.720', 'end': '465.440', 'text': 'point. Officers who helped Clear release'}, {'start': '463.440', 'end': '468.240', 'text': 'more than a thousand suspected drunk'}, {'start': '465.440', 'end': '470.479', 'text': 'drivers back onto our streets. And this'}, {'start': '468.240', 'end': '471.919', 'text': "also empowers someone. So now they're"}, {'start': '470.479', 'end': '473.360', 'text': 'like, "I got away with it again. I\'m'}, {'start': '471.919', 'end': '475.360', 'text': 'going to be able to do it again." That\'s'}, {'start': '473.360', 'end': '477.360', 'text': "what angers me probably the most. That's"}, {'start': '475.360', 'end': '480.080', 'text': 'exactly what happened. Get out of the'}, {'start': '477.360', 'end': '481.840', 'text': 'car, dude. Cesar Munoz is accused of'}, {'start': '480.080', 'end': '484.479', 'text': 'driving drunk. Remember our recording'}, {'start': '481.840', 'end': '486.319', 'text': 'started when he crashed into a Valencia'}, {'start': '484.479', 'end': '489.599', 'text': "County Sheriff's deputy vehicle last"}, {'start': '486.319', 'end': '491.919', 'text': 'year. Stop moving. This is his third DWI'}, {'start': '489.599', 'end': '494.400', 'text': "arrest, but he's never been convicted."}, {'start': '491.919', 'end': '496.319', 'text': 'With Clear in his corner, the first two'}, {'start': '494.400', 'end': '498.000', 'text': 'were dropped. Get over here. Stop.'}, {'start': '496.319', 'end': '500.520', 'text': "Bridget Piper, I'm going to tase you."}, {'start': '498.000', 'end': '504.000', 'text': 'almost hit a Corales police officer last'}, {'start': '500.520', 'end': '507.039', 'text': 'year. Then police say she plowed into a'}, {'start': '504.000', 'end': '509.520', 'text': 'car at a busy intersection. She ran from'}, {'start': '507.039', 'end': '511.280', 'text': 'the crash trying the handle of a passing'}, {'start': '509.520', 'end': '513.680', 'text': 'car.'}, {'start': '511.280', 'end': '516.320', 'text': 'The chaos unfolding here is a decade in'}, {'start': '513.680', 'end': '519.279', 'text': 'the making, including two DWIs that'}, {'start': '516.320', 'end': '521.440', 'text': 'attorney Thomas Clear may disappear,'}, {'start': '519.279', 'end': '524.880', 'text': 'followed by criminal charge after'}, {'start': '521.440', 'end': '527.519', 'text': 'criminal charge, also dismissed. DWI'}, {'start': '524.880', 'end': '530.480', 'text': 'Watcher Atkinson says Clear is a symptom'}, {'start': '527.519', 'end': '532.240', 'text': 'of a broken system. He found a way to'}, {'start': '530.480', 'end': '533.760', 'text': 'monetize. They\'re always saying, "Well,'}, {'start': '532.240', 'end': '535.519', 'text': 'we need to hold the drunk driver'}, {'start': '533.760', 'end': '536.880', 'text': 'accountable." And I was to the point'}, {'start': '535.519', 'end': '539.279', 'text': 'where I\'m saying, "We need to hold the'}, {'start': '536.880', 'end': '540.880', 'text': 'system accountable." Coming up. So, I\'m'}, {'start': '539.279', 'end': '542.240', 'text': 'going to ask you one more time. How much'}, {'start': '540.880', 'end': '545.360', 'text': "you got to drink today? Clear's"}, {'start': '542.240', 'end': '547.839', 'text': 'connections go beyond police officers. I'}, {'start': '545.360', 'end': '549.120', 'text': 'think that uh we would be foolish not to'}, {'start': '547.839', 'end': '551.200', 'text': 'be looking at the criminal justice'}, {'start': '549.120', 'end': '553.920', 'text': 'system as a whole for Investigates'}, {'start': '551.200', 'end': '559.320', 'text': 'examines the other relationships. Clear.'}, {'start': '553.920', 'end': '559.320', 'text': 'Made in a system designed for fairness.'}]