The men and women who make up the Secret Service – both past and present – have embodied a tradition of excellence through integrity, commitment and honor. Their stories are the Secret Service’s history – a proud history that continues to evolve and grow with every passing year.
This is just a small snippet from the service’s history listed on its Website; however, it appears not all agents are created equal when it comes to integrity, commitment and honor.
In a story published by the Washington Examiner, the paper reports that Secret Service Agent Kerry O’Grady, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Denver district, posted Facebook condemnations of President Trump during the past seven months, including one in which she said she wouldn’t want to “take a bullet” for him.
Secret Service employees are covered by the Hatch Act, which bars people from posting partisan messages on social media, or sharing and disturbing partisan material, according to the Washington Examiner.
It appears O’Grady believes she’s above the law.
Daily Mail UK published images from her Facebook account where the agent writes, “As a public servant for nearly 23 years, I struggle not to violate the Hatch Act, she wrote, referring to the act that bars executive branch staff from engaging in certain political activities … 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.”
Fully aware she’s in violation of the law, and also in direct violation of her oath of office, she continues her rant.
“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.”
Despite her senior, security role, she has made her disdain for the president and his administration clear to her Facebook followers, who included current and former Secret Service agents and other people who were employees at the time of the posts.
O’Grady’s posts triggered at least one complaint to the office that oversees investigations into Secret Service misbehavior, two knowledgeable sources told the Washington Examiner.
When asked for comment by the Washington Examiner, the U.S. Secret Service responded: “The USSS is aware of the postings and we are looking into the matter.”
Is it the pending Secret Service investigation or internal reflection that prompted O’Grady to change her narrative? In an interview with the paper, O’Grady appeared to backtrack on her earlier comments.
She said during her interview with the paper that she took down the post after two to three days of greater reflection and wasn’t ‘trying to imply’ she wouldn’t take a bullet for Trump or any officials in the Trump administration.
“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.
O’Grady repeatedly stressed that she would in no way shirk her duties to protect the president because of her opposition to Trump’s candidacy and support for Clinton.
“No, not at all. I firmly believe in this job. I’m proud to do it, and we serve the office of the president,” she said.
The paper reports her distain for the new administration continues since the inauguration.
O’Grady posted the logo for the Women’s March on Denver as her Facebook cover backdrop on Inauguration Day, Friday, Jan. 21 at 12:25 p.m.
When one of her Facebook followers commented that “none of these women represent me #justsayin,” O’Grady countered, “all of these women represent me! Proud to say it! #nasty.” That back and forth, captured in a screen grab of the post, no longer appears on O’Grady’s Facebook page.
The Daily Mail story reports she has made multiple political comments showing her support for Democrat Hillary Clinton and criticizing Trump.
O’Grady previously shared a Huffington Post story with the headline: ‘Scott Baio Defends Trump’s Sexism with More Sexism’, with her comment; ‘One word: douche. How do you like them apples?!’
A month after her ‘won’t take a bullet’ post, she shared a Vox post, headlined ‘Donald Trump nominates Jeff Sessions to serve as attorney general’ on which Vox commented ‘Just a few years ago, this would have been unimaginable.’
She then writes, “We are moving our civil rights into a period of bigotry, misogyny and racism that this country has not tolerated for decades. Dark ages. I am horrified and dismayed beyond words.”
All political posts on her Facebook page have since been removed.
O’Grady said this week that she is devoted to her mission to serve her country and that nothing would stop her from doing her job.
“I hope you understand that’s an emphatic no,” she said.
The Washington Examiner reports The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, which investigates agency complaints of misbehavior, received a complaint about O’Grady’s Facebook posts in Oct. 2016, a source told the paper.
It’s unclear whether the Secret Service explicitly bans agents and other employees from engaging in political speech on social media or has written rules prohibiting it.
A petition to the White House to have O’Grady fired was created Wednesday.
Maybe this fucking idiot believes Donna Hylton represents her, as well, lol! Anyway, O’Grady IS based in Denver, so weed cannot be ruled out at this time #naaaaasty
She is in direct violation of her Oath of Office and she should be immediately fired without her benefits. At first I thought she should be allowed to retire and keep her pension but apparently she is not willing to do her job unless it is towards people who she agrees with. Disgusting.
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