Chimp's "plants" get away with Impersonating a Secret Service Agent!

[KoKo]

Scot-Free Watch, from the Rocky Mountain News: "Federal prosecutors have declined to press charges of impersonating a Secret Service agent against a White House volunteer who forcibly ousted three people from a speech by President George W. Bush in Denver on March 21. The announcement was made without explanation Friday in a letter from the Secret Service to Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar and Reps. Mark Udall and Diana DeGette, all Democrats who had asked for the agency to investigate the incident."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[etherealtruth]

1. No surprise there

[eShirl]

2. Well who the hell are they, then?

The praetorian guard?

[Agnomen]

4. The KoolAid gave them sense

of omnipotence and invincibility

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. I heard this girl interviewed on Ed Schultz's show today

She was one of the three people removed from the rally. She said Waxman has called for an investigation also.

[mike_c]

5. hmmm-- was he wearing a brown shirt...?

[AntiCoup2K4]

6. Exclusive photo of "young Republican" from Colorado

[Gyre]

7. You'd think they'd do it just to not look biased.

They're not even bothering. I guess they figured out that the dems have nobody viable in the pipeline and are in a verbal civil war splitting the party right down the middle. We are so fucked!

Gyre

[Lisa]

8. I see a potentially-serious security breach here ...

If people get used to the idea that there are guys pretending to be part of the presidential security detail -- and nobody prosecutes them -- just think of the problems. I really hope the Secret Service take this seriously, because if it allows someone who isn't what he or she seems to get close to the protectee ...

Republicans should be just as concerned. Suppose someone pretended to be one of them, in order to gain that kind of access to the current officeholder?

One of the RCMP guards at the APEC meeting (which Clinton attended) was asked why he was so harsh on the protesters. He replied that anybody, engaged in any kind of activity on the site, which wasn't under the direct control of security staff, should be removed as quickly as possible. That included pretending to have clearance, or assuming someone else's identity (e.g. pretending to be someone who had a job to do there). When someone asked if he regretted clearing people out who maybe should have been allowed to stay, he snapped that it was better to sort things out after than have an incident happen on your watch. I would hope that the Secret Service aren't slackers by comparison.

[KoKo]

13. That's the BIG worry with this. If they can get away with it then it mean

the Presidency now can use "secret police" to guard them. It's kinda not what I read about in "American History" in my education...but then everything's changed since then. They create their own rules, write the law and find folks (on their side, to interpret it. It's a new kind of Critter in American History...one that I don't understand.

[Lisa]

14. so once again, they're trying to avoid accountability?

I'm so surprised! (Not.)

The story is that, at the APEC demonstrations, one of the reasons why the Mounties hustled the Vancouver protesters out of the way was because one of the visiting dictators (really -- the Indonesian leader) had brought some heavy backup in his entourage. And the Mounties were afraid that someone might fire into the crowd of students, and they'd be blamed for it.

But I can see that it would also be possible to turn things around and blame any nastiness on "overenthusiastic volunteers", or even on "opposition infiltrators" out to make George W. look bad.

p.s. I think you have more insight into this "new kind of Critter", than most, KoKo01 -- that's why you're able to see through its protective markings.

[bribri16]

9. So then, an smart Al-qaeda operative will not have to worry.

Evidently impesonating journalists, Secret Service, and true patriots is something the Bush cabal sanctions and carries out without a hitch.

[Contrary1]

10. If this clown didn't have the authority

to "forcibly oust" me, I would be suing his ass for assault.

[Eloriel]

11. How 'bout a permalink, KoKo

So if someone wants to access this several weeks or months from now, they can still find it on Talking Points Memo instead of the home page?

[KoKo]

12. I don't think TPM does "permalinks." I went over there and checked and

I couldn't find one...but I'm not as tech savy as many of you.

Sorry...I try to do them if they are obvious...just couldn't find one. :shrug: