XPost: co.media, co.fort-collins.general, alt.politics.usa.constitution.gun-rights
XPost: git.club.guns

A Denver-based Secret Service agent’s assertion that she would
rather go to jail than take a bullet for President Trump left
one veteran of the commander-in-chief’s vaunted security detail
stunned.

Gary Byrne, who guarded President Clinton and the Oval Office
during a 12-year stint with the Secret Service, told Fox News
Special Agent Kerry O’Grady’s revelation on Facebook was
astonishing.

“It is unheard of and unbelievable that someone at her level
would comment publicly on being unwilling to protect the
president,” said Byrne, author of “Crisis of Character,” a book
that came out during the presidential campaign that was highly
critical of Hillary Clinton. “Everyone has their own personal
political opinions, but this job is not personal. You take an
oath to the country, not the person. You are protecting the
office, and what makes the country great.”

The Secret Service is reportedly "taking appropriate action"
after news broke that O’Grady had made the comments in an
October Facebook post. The agency did not say if O’Grady, who is
in charge of the Denver office, could be disciplined or even
fired, but her comments may be in violation of The Hatch Act.
That 1939 law bars certain federal employees from engaging in
political activity to promote fairness and nonpartisanship
within the workplace. The Secret Service is among the agencies
affected by the Hatch Act.

"As a public servant for nearly 23 years, I struggle not to
violate the Hatch Act,” O’Grady wrote. “So I keep quiet and
skirt the median. To do otherwise can be a criminal offense for
those in my position. Despite the fact that I am expected to
take a bullet for both sides. But this world has changed and I
have changed. And I would take jail time over a bullet or an
endorsement for what I believe to be disaster to this country
and the strong and amazing women and minorities who reside here.
Hatch Act be damned. I am with Her."

O'Grady told the Washington Examiner that she took down the
posts after two or three days and that she would protect the
president.

"It was an internal struggle for me but as soon as I put it up,
I thought it was not the sentiment that I needed to share
because I care very deeply about the mission," she said.

Byrne said simply retracting the statement is not enough.

“At her level, she is special agent in charge of Denver, she has
a couple hundred people working under her including agents,
technicians, and officers,” he said. “Her job is to run the
office, but to provide the manpower if the President comes to
Colorado.

If she made these comments just to her friends, that is
personal. But if you state that publicly, like she did on
Facebook, she should be removed from the position.

“I cannot tell you how bad that is,” he added.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/25/secret-service-vet- shocked-at-agents-claim-wont-take-bullet-for-trump.html
 

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)