It’s a good thing that the U.S. Secret Service has launched an investigation of the mysterious agent look-alike who booted three people from President Bush’s Social Security road show in Denver on March 21.
The ouster of Alex Young, Karen Bauer, and Leslie Weise from a Bush Social Security rally at the Wings Over the Rockies museum has turned into a surprisingly long-lived political whodunit, with politicians, columnists, bloggers and activists all stirring the pot. It would be nice to have the case solved.
The investigation apparently is focused on whether the man impersonated a federal officer, a felony carrying a possible three-year prison term. It’s also a federal crime to arrest or detain a person while pretending to be a federal cop.
The trio obtained tickets to the event from Rep. Bob Beauprez’s office and arrived in a car bearing a “No More Blood for Oil” bumper sticker. They also were wearing “No More Lies” T-shirts under their business attire.
We’ll have to take them at their word that they’d decided against flashing the T-shirts. In any event, they never had the chance.
A volunteer at the gate told the three that the Secret Service would be talking to them. Just as they were taking their seats, an official-looking fellow told them to leave, citing their bumper sticker.
The description of the man sounds like an agent from central casting: about 30, muscular, wearing a dark suit, short haircut, ear piece and lapel button.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan has said the man was a Republican volunteer, but has refused to divulge his name or say whether he works in Washington or Colorado.
Since the Denver incident, accounts have surfaced that a man matching the ersatz agent’s description carried out earlier “ideological cleansing” at Bush events in Fargo, N.D.; Tucson, Ariz., and Portsmouth, N.H. Two middle-aged women wearing “Turn Your Back on Bush” T-shirts were ejected from the Portsmouth event on Feb. 16 after silently turning their backs on the president.
The president or any official has the right to hold invitation-only events for friendly audiences. But billing such events as “town hall meetings” strains credibility. And we’re certain the president can deftly handle himself against occasional protesters and critics.
Recent pie attacks on conservative speakers Bill Kristol, Ann Coulter and David Horowitz highlight the need for reasonable security at any political event.
But trying to totally suppress opposing viewpoints looks like chilling of free speech, and party hacks masquerading as security agents is political dirty pool at least, if not breaking the law.
