Is the Secret Service Investigating Liz Trotta and Fox News?

FOX News political pundit Liz Trotta jokingly suggested this weekend that someone should assassinate an American presidential candidate. She had first "mistakenly" referred to Obama as "Osama" while discussing theories that Hillary Clinton's recent comments about the RFK assassination was in fact a suggestion that someone "knock off Osama." When she was corrected and reminded that she meant "Obama," she then said, "Well, both if we could."

The United States Secret Service is charged with the protection of Senator Obama and famously takes all threats seriously, so it's important to ask the question whether they will be investigating Liz Trotta's comment, FOX News' response to that comment, and any collateral threats that may have been generated by the comment.

Assassins throughout our history have repeatedly claimed to find their motivations in the media. John Hinckley claimed his attempted assassination of Reagan was because of his obsession with Jodie Foster, Mark David Chapman cited The Catcher in the Rye and the film Ordinary People as inspirations for his assassination of John Lennon, and Charles Manson claims his murders were a result of his twisted interpretation of The Beatles' "Helter Skelter."

While these so-called motivations are inexplicable to a healthy mind, it is foolish and naive not to accept as a terrifying fact that psychotics can and will be triggered by almost anything, which is why it's not only vulgar but completely reckless, irresponsible and bordering on criminal for those who comment on politics and political figures to say the kind of disgusting thing that Liz Trotta said. It's also, not incidentally, why the world pounced so quickly and decisively on Hillary Clinton's comments about the RFK assassination.

This from the Secret Service website: "The Secret Service is interested in legitimate information relating to threats, plans or attempts by individuals, groups or organizations to harm Secret Service protectees. However, the agency does not desire or solicit information pertaining to individuals or groups expressing legitimate criticism of, or political opposition to, the policies and decisions of the government or government officials."

The questions the Secret Service should be asking are: Were Liz Trotta and FOX News criminally negligent in using the public airwaves to suggest the assassination of a presidential candidate; Is the suggestion of political assassination an example of legitimate criticism; and, If the First Amendment doesn't allow one to yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater or "Bomb!" on an airplane, how could it allow a public "joke" about assassinating a political candidate?

And what is the question the rest of us should be asking? How about, what kind of world are we creating for ourselves and our children where we allow our political divisions to become so deep that the suggestion or even the joke about a political assassination is in any way acceptable?

Comments

[TopDog]

My thoughts exactly.

[rnmina]

I hope I'm wrong but comments by Liz Trotta, with her we could take out "Osama, Obama, one or the other of them comments, on Fox TV, followed by the commentator's comment, "tell us how you really feel" coupled with Hillary's mentioning the assassination of Robert Kennedy, which I witnessed on Live TV nearly 40 years ago and will never forget, has made Obama's campaign more dangerous for him and his family. I was surprised to read this column by Robert Novak this afternoon and realize that for once I agree with him. My Red state friends were right all along...and that makes me so sad.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/novak/976319,CST-EDT-novak29.article

I wouldn't have minded Hillary running on the ticket as VP with Obama if he is the nominee, but not now. Now I am too afraid for his life of him being harmed by her. I have no reason to trust her around him since she amd Ms Trotta made those remarks.
If Obama is killed because of Hillary's or Liz Trotta's references to assassination, triggering some nut case to advance on him or his family while they are campaigning, I will vote for McCain and I am a life-long Democrat

[PFHarlock]

Her apology was so dire that I wouldn't be surprised if the Secret Service (and/or other government agencies) spoke with her. I certainly hope they did.

[suzyku]

Yes, they should definitely investigate the nasty ms. trotta as well as any other fox pundits that incite the not too stable to do harm to Obama or anyone else!

[vcabq]

Not only should they be investigated, Liz should be charged and aressted. Fox should be fined millions of dollars by the FCC and be required to Fire Liz and all the other HATE MONGERS on Fake News.

[Rjchinook]

They can have a hissy fit over Janet Jackson's you know what, and fire Imus for calling the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos", but they do nothing when they're outright threats and suggestions of assasination to Obama, the first black man who will most likely be our next President? And they call this America?

[obamajusrocks]

Liz Trotta should be fired and investigated by the Secret Service

[jriegel]

Certainly the Secret Service and what about The Southern Poverty Law Center? They've done an excellent legal watch on anything relating to hate crimes. I think Trotta's comments are of this category. They ought put her in a courtroom for a while and relieve her of her seat in the television pundits chair.

[nanapat]

what a shame that Fox News doesn't step up to the plate and fire Liz Trotta like ESPN just did with Mark Madden who made assassination comment's about Teddy Kennedy..

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/790603/mark_madden_ted_kennedy_assassination.html

[funwithwarcrimes]

funwithwarcrimes.com says -- excellent questions you are asking. excellent.

[happypup]

An excellent article - thank you very much!

[Spesabsquemetu]

What kind of country uses public airways to entertain thoughts about the assassination of presidential candidate?

What kind of a person becomes a secret service agent?
The kind that put their hearts into the path way of a bullet to save the life of a president.
The kind of individuals who take an oath that becomes a code of honor and integrity to uphold and live by.

No compensation can reward them for the service they provide in maintaining stability and order to governance right here in America.

The fact that Huckabee would dare joke in public suggesting the most outrageous commentary regarding a U.S. Senator, or that Hillary Clinton would draw parallels between why she remains in the race while pointing out that RFK was assassinated in June, or - that a Fox media personality would be so depraved as to suggest a criminal act of violence be inflicted upon a presidential candidate - would suggest, that they all be scrutinized closely for their outrageously irresponsible conduct and held accountable for their actions.

Sen. Clinton knows first hand what those secret service men and women put on the line for her and her family.
Huckabee's comments are a disgrace.
Fox news used PUBLIC AIRWAYS to generate the unthinkable that constitutes criminal negligence in suggesting a CRIMINAL ACT be inflicted upon a United States Presidential candidate.
It is unconscionable.

The disregard for the secret service and what they contend with and sacrifice, is reflected in these depraved, unconscionable remarks.

[bosd]

"What kind of country uses public airways to entertain thoughts about the assassination of presidential candidate?"


The kind of country that gives its citizens a farce like the Warren Commission and the magic-bullet theory.

[happypup]

Some strong thoughts there, Spesabsquemetu. Also very true!

[Bobrobert]

:-)

Big brother is watching and listening.

:-)

Vote!!!

[Indoboy7]

FOX is merely the leading Cheerleading-network(in reality nothing but a video tabloid), that will - even in 2008- follow every play in the KArl Rove playbook,...distract from the issues, while stealing/winning the election---AT ALL COSTS.
It is HOPED that the american public doesn't get side tracked by emotionalism - NOT THIS TIME, N O T THIS YEAR...Just as a bull"fighter" waves a rag to get the bull to charge, so will FOX display Mt-headed so-called pundits such as Mz. Trotta to spew forth their putrid comments, and in passing, laugh uproariously about their own stupidity

[ObamAtomic]

To All Of You.......... The Law Is The Law!

Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedures
Sec. 3056. Powers, authorities, and duties of United States Secret Service

(7) Major Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates and,
within 120 days of the general Presidential election, the spouses
of such candidates. As used in this paragraph, the term ''major
Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates'' means those
individuals identified as such by the Secretary of the Treasury
after consultation with an advisory committee consisting of the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of
the House of Representatives, the majority and minority leaders
of the Senate, and one additional member selected by the other
members of the committee. The protection authorized in paragraphs (2) through (7) may b

[MissingAmerica]

I still remember where I was for each assassination in the 60s, and the feelings over the events, and it was in no way funny.

First, they were commenting on Hillary's remarks when they made a remark even worse! Second, Don Imus was removed from his position of authority when he made a racial slur against a female African-American basketball team. It would seem to me that Liz Trotta's remarks are far more incendiary than those of Don Imus, and she should be penalized with a pink slip.

[bosd]

I'll respond to this one, but I have seen many people posting that they lived through the assassinations on JFK, MLK, and RFK, and said it was not a happy time. Unfortunately, that statement would not apply to the whole country. There were plenty of people in the 1960's who were happy that JFK was assassinated, starting with LBJ (There is a picture of him winking at a senator when he is getting sworn in on Air Force 1 with Jackie right next top him). I'm sure there were plenty of people who were jumping up and down with joy when MLK was assassinated, and I am sure none other than Hoover "There is no mafia in the U.S." was happy as hell that RFK got assassinated. I think Liz Trotta fits in with the people who were happy with the assassination of the three.

[Atticus]

Baloney!

The undercurrent of this entire assassination paranoia is that it's not a question of IF he takes a hit, but rather WHEN. The left runs the non-stop ravings of two alcoholic bimbos who have the nerve to style themselves as "commedienes" and an unhinged wannabe tv "jounalist" who do nothing but fan hatred by pursuing Hillary (and anyone else) for speaking what everyone is thinking.

If something untoward happens, it's going to be the leftist nuts who gloat over this whole imbroglio, keeping it alive, who should be severely punished by their countrymen .

Hypocrites!