They have been around since at least 911, when people used them to say their goodbyes.
Posted on 04/24/2008 12:38:48 PM PDT by pissant
You are not going to believe this story. It is really something else. The White House, I predict, will look the other way at the flagrant law-breaking by a Mexican official caught on tape by the Secret Service filching U.S. government property. After all, looking the other way at systemic law-breaking by Mexico is the official Bush policy. Fox News has the scoop:
Whether he was up to no good or simply desperate to play BrickBreaker, a Mexican press attaché was caught on camera by Secret Service pocketing several White House BlackBerries during a recent meeting in New Orleans, FOX News has learned.
Sources with knowledge of the incident said the official, Rafael Quintero Curiel, served as the lead press advance person for the Mexican Delegation and was responsible for handling logistics and guiding the Mexican media around at the conference. He took six or seven of the handheld devices from a table outside a special room in the hotel where the Mexican delegation was meeting with President Bush earlier this week.
Everyone entering the room was required to leave his or her cell phone, BlackBerry and other such devices on the table, a common practice when high-level meetings are held. American officials discovered their missing belongings when they were leaving the session.
It didn’t take long before Secret Service officials reviewed videotape taken by a surveillance camera and found footage showing Quintero Curiel absconding with the BlackBerries.
At first, Quintero Curiel denied the criminal acts. But when confronted with the tape, he chalked it up to an “accident”–then promptly invoked diplomatic immunity:
He initially denied taking the devices, but after agents showed him the DVD, Quintero Curiel said it was purely accidental, gave them back, claimed diplomatic immunity and left New Orleans with the Mexican delegation.
It is unclear what disciplinary measures, if any, await him in Mexico. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino refused to discuss the incident, telling FOX News, “We are aware of the situation, but as it’s under investigation by law enforcement officials, we will decline to comment.”
Just looting the White House electronic devices Americans won’t loot…
***
Now, imagine if it were an American government official caught south of the border stealing Mexican government property.
democrats reid and pelosi immediately called Bush insensitve for having a blackberry and said everyone in mexico would have a blackberry if we were not spending so much in iraq
clinton and obama both promised to raise taxes on anyone that pays taxes in order to give every illegal that votes for them a blackberry
Captain Queeg?
They have been around since at least 911, when people used them to say their goodbyes.
Owning one, and still thinking it was some fruit. That is just funny.
For seven years Bush has been telling Mexico, what’s ours is yours, this poor guy takes Bush up on it and they call the Secret Service and the police.
I guess it’s different when it hits Bush where HE lives.
And no one has the brass ones to pull his U.S. visa.
El diplomático mexicano obviously thought they were party favors of some sort. I was just at a wedding where everyone got one of those little cameras to make their own record of the festivities. Looked a lot like a blackberry, being black and all.
Same deal here. An honest mistake. The Mexican Embassy's Crown Victoria was however, stolen in Seattle last year.
As far as top-secret WH Info goes, Liz, why would el mexicano have to steal it? All he would have to do is talk to GW.
It had something to do with Basil-Interairdrill. My step father worked for that company in Iran.
Make that Basil Intairdrill
Looks like we're the same age. Anyone born after 1963 probably would have never seen such pre-PC commercials.
If one of their official representatives will steal US Government property in the White House, what is the typical illegal gardener, housekeeper (both domestic and hotel), laborer, builder, worker....etc. doing?
That guy was gone long before we had the Taco Bell dog. Which was adjudged to be un-PC in his own way.
I wanna bring 'em all back. And Joe Camel, too, even though I don't smoke.
"Ah, but the BlackBerries, that's where I had them...."
Cute headline.Def got my attention.Anyways,any idea what the(cumulative)value is on the items stolen?I have no idea what a Blackberry costs.I assume this is the equivalent of a felony.....?Caught redhanded-on tape.Regardless,the guy walks.I’ve read of several incidents in the DC area involving diplomats(or their employees)invoking immunity.I don’t know the original intent of “diplomatic immunity”,but this is(imo)a case of a crook who got caught.He should be sitting in a jail cell right now.
I love it. Right in your own house, Senor Boosh.
Of course it is spying, but Jorge has made America, Canada and Mexico all part of the same country, so he doesn’t consider that spying. Open border policy Jorge considers that “just sharing”. :(
Gawd. Better check the wheels on Limo One. Disgraceful.
Blackberries! blackberries! We doan need no
steenkin blackberries!
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