W's Arab Bodyguard Hires Att'y

New York Daily News ^ | 1/03/02 | KENNETH R. BAZINET

[kattracks]

WASHINGTON

An Arab-American Secret Service agent assigned to protect President Bush has hired an attorney after being kicked off a commercial flight on Christmas Day, officials said yesterday.

The agent, whose name is being withheld for security reasons, was questioned about his identity before being barred from the American Airlines flight.

Civil rights attorney Christy Lopez of the Washington law firm Relman & Associates has taken the case, said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

The council has filed a civil rights complaint alleging the pilot ordered the armed agent off the plane only because he was an Arab-American.

Bush said last week that he would be "madder than heck" if his bodyguard was booted from the flight because of his ethnicity.

The American-Islamic group announced yesterday that a passenger who was sitting next to the agent on American Airlines Flight 363 has come forward alleging the agent was "kicked off the plane because of his race."

Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin declined to comment.

American Airlines claims the pilot ordered the agent off the flight to Dallas-Fort Worth because his paperwork contained "inconsistencies."

[ambrose]

It would be scary that one anonymous thin-skinned affirmative action case and his hired shyster could force the airlines to return to their pre-September 11th policy of allowing Arabs to steal pilot uniforms and then fly in the jump seat with the pilots!

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

I think that the Secret Service was significantly degraded during the Clinton years (but, hey, what wasn't?). A lot of "Yessir, Boss, anything you want" types seem to have made it into the SS as pimps and personal assistants for Clinton. This may be one of them.

Just think about what the Secret Service (at least the Presidential Detail) must have seen and heard during the Clinton era! Did they manage to share any of that treason and scandal with a Grand Jury? No, I don't recall that they did. What they DID was to cover up and lie.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

ping

[cricket]

"American Airlines claims the pilot ordered the agent off the flight to Dallas-Fort Worth because his paperwork contained "inconsistencies"

. . .would that be "inconsistencies" or because his paperwork contained inconsistencies. . .

. . .seems to me, this agent's response to this is inconsistent as well, and totally inappropriate.

This Islamic individual is more than full of himself that he would do this. . .call attention to himself, embarass the President and the Secret Service while threatening American Airlines, when it is trying to do a job under the most difficult of circumstances.

This agent should be more concerned about HIS job of protecting the President than making a personal issue of this; all of which makes me more doubtful about his real loyalities and priorities.

What a dream job, for someone with 'higher motivations. . .

Bottom line, given the above, and the times; think 'wisdom' dictates that GW should not have an Islamic body guard, period.

[newzjunkey]

I'd be curious to find out about these "inconsistancies" considering he's the real deal.

[Cachelot]

This Islamic individual is more than full of himself that he would do this. . .call attention to himself, embarass the President and the Secret Service while threatening American Airlines

If it is an islamic individual, we need to think about what this means. It may mean that what we're looking at is an action initiated for the specific purpose of dulling down security. It may not be just this indivisual acting alone. Keep an eye on what and who comes out of the woodwork to support him.

[Revelation 911]

brilliant career move.... he'll soon end up guarding the grave of buddy the dog

[cricket]

"A lot of "Yessir, Boss, anything you want" types seem to have made it into the SS as pimps and personal assistants for Clinton"

So true. . .though I hope 'overall' the Secret Service was not so degraded. Of course, Clinton and friends almost did in Gary Aldrich; and these agents surely knew their fate could be much worse and in the end maybe their telling the truth would have rendered nothing but their own dust. . .

But surely true that Clinton could not have survived without a 'degraded' administration; he knew it; and he chose everyone around him with just that in mind; knowing if it were not for him, THEY would not be there.

America is paying, and will continue to pay a terrible price for the Clinton presidency.

[Cobra64]

I think that the Secret Service was significantly degraded during the Clinton years (but, hey, what wasn't?). A lot of "Yessir, Boss, anything you want" types seem to have made it into the SS as pimps and personal assistants for Clinton. This may be one of them.

I agree, and I bet that there will be some serious sweating in Langly over this. W is the kind of guy who puts total trust in his team. If someone steps out of line due to lack of loyalty, he gets really pissed-off. W's the kind of guy that expects you to do your job; if you f-up, you're sort of ok for the moment... Just don't cross W.

[riley1992]

On this one, I have to reserve judgement until it comes out whether or not there were real inconsistencies in his paperwork.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I suspect this hiring of an attorney reflects the same attitude that got the guy kicked off the plane in the first place.

A responsible and professional federal law enforcement agent would have quietly worked out his boarding problem with the responsible and professional pilot. This guy tried to have it his way and sounds like he is still trying to massage an ego. A grandstander should not be employed by the Secret Service.

[Thebaddog]

It also make you wonder if the good fellow would think about his own interests first before stepping into the line of fire to protect the president.

[cricket]

"On this one, I have to reserve judgement until it comes out whether or not there were real inconsistencies in his paperwork."

Inconsistencies aside, this agent fails a basic 'reality check'. . .

[patriciaruth]

Good post. I'm not happy that a government employee has decided to make a spectacle of himself while this airline struggles to stay afloat. American Airline, because of its name, has been the hardest hit.

I wish this guy would get off his high horse and just take it on the chin for the sake of the country right now.

[cricket]

"By his actions, he shows more support for the terrorists than America. When does Bush's "you are either with us or against us", come into play here?"

Yes, that is the plain and simple of it. . .this agent's loyalties and priorities do not appear to be with the President or with 'us'. . .

Understand the 'why' of GW's response, but do hope 'Wisdom' prevails here. . .

[Twodees]

[Keep an eye on what and who comes out of the woodwork to support him]

Good point. Since CAIR started howling from jump street on this one, I would say that this agent should be transferred to funny money detail immediately, if CS laws make it too hard to simply fire him. I'm completely unconvinced that it was an anonymous fellow passenger who reported this nonsense to CAIR.

If the agent hadn't hired an attorney, the tale that someone other than the agent notified CAIR would have some credibility.