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

[AnAmericanWoman]

This is equally atttributed to Huckabee! Although this sicko was worse! But both are bad! She needs to be taught a deep lesson. She needs to be held accountable!

[thecanadian]

And WHO started this uproar!

[SKMojo]

Hillary, right?

[S1m0n]

It's in poor taste, to be sure, but no, it's neither illegal nor grounds for an investigation. Everybody take a valium.

[CitizenFace]

"We'd assasinate ______ if we could."

It would be illegal if she had used the president's name in that blank, even as a joke. So why not another Secret Service protectee?

[ProudNeoCon]

Because that is how the law is written

[ObamAtomic]

Mr simon

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

[legalclubs]

Maybe they should investigate Hillary first?

[PatriotAct]

I think this qualifies as an attempt to terrorize the United States electorate, and that is a felony violation of the USA Patriot Act.

[PatriotAct]

Pat Tillman said far less, and look what it got him.

[PatriotAct]

If she would have said this while deployed as a member of the United States Military in Iraq or in Afghanistan, she could have been court martialed and summarily executed for treason in a warzone.

[whatchamean]

I sent emails to Fox, the secret service and FCC. I suggest that concerned readers do the same.

[negs]

Trotta should resign. Her 'joke' was professionally inappropriate and she knows that. Someone in her position does not lose her cool like that by accident - it would be like a doctor not noticing that a patient had a 103 degree fever, or a check out person forgetting to take a customer's money - it just doesn't happen. She said what she did on purpose and she should be fired for suggesting on the air that some one's life be threatened.

[AnnieinOR]

I don't think the "Osama umm Obama", was by accident either.

[Insideout143]

not the first time for that either.

[DrDemon]

Of course not... Just a "Bigotry Tactic"!

[TrevorAlan]

Generic suggestions of a Democrat being assisnated is awful but done before, smearing the line between Obama and Osama has been done before (sadly, even by Dave Letterman), but that "both if we could" really connects the suppositions into a true wish and even call for someone to actually do it.

I'd agree, she may have actually crossed the line everyone has been dancing toward and cried FIRE in the theater.

[Fudgefase]

So which one does she think "they" couldn't do - presumably Osama, 'cos if "they" COULD, they WOULD have by now.
So maybe she thinks the one on US soil is more reachable.

[PatricefromNH]

HOW ABOUT A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT? We all know, money talks and law suits are a great vehicle for public change, just ask John Edwards.

I'll bet a few hundred thousand of us, paying a couple dollars apiece, to a great aggressive law firm would not only get FOX's attention that joking about assination or even discussing it in such a casual way that it could possibly incite a demented mind to perform such a thing, comes with a hefty public price tag. Not only would FOX get a resounding message, it would put all media sources who would allow ndividual to publicly say such things on public notice that we, joe public, will not dumbly stand by on the sidelines and look the other way.

Even if our country wide lawsuit lost on the consitutional grounds of freedom of speech, it sure would be an expensive way for the media to allow statements in public that could threaten the lives of our candidates and the security of our country.

[Shayrae]

Patrice, that is the best idea I have heard so far. I was watching Ms. Trotta and I had to pause and rewind the DVR to make sure that she actually said what she said. Let us try to push the lawsuit idea.
I like a great many people, am outraged about this. I would be more than happy to be part of a lawsuit to put these people on notice that this kind of hate mongering is not acceptable.

[urweatherman]

Yes, and lets sue HBO...for Bill Maher's threatening comments toward VP Cheney.....I say we go for it!

[peiceout]

I thought you conservatives were against frivolous law suits.

[urweatherman]

Forgot to say....you lefties only hear what you want to hear......see my comment below. Guess you missed those hate-mongering words!

[duze]

Where do I send my contribution? Who will handle the suit and will it be publicized? Thee are just too many coverups for my money. IF that comment has been made about George Bush, Hillary, Pat Robinson, Reverend Hagee, or Lou Dobbs, or any of the other trash talkers, hell would have broken loose. Anyway lets get it started. Did you know that CNN was sued for 1.5 million dollars, after a comment Jack Cafferty made about the Chinese people?

[lady49]

Bill Maher has ALWAYS made his political position's clear. FOX news channel 'holds themselves' out as 'expert perveyors' of fact. So much so, that their station tag is news that is "FAIR AND BALANCED"

Minimally, they are responsible for the damage their paid commentators cause. IF Liz Trotta came on the show, voluntarily on her own, FOX is marginally negligent. IF, on the otherhand, she was a PAID EMPLOYEE of FOX at any level, the station could be seen as liable for gross negligence. (minimally, if not more)

Where do I sign on???

[Wasp35]

Yes! You're right, who knows what could set some lunatic off. They should investigate Trotta. And right when they are done with her, they should go after the people who made the MOVIE about George W. Bush being assassinated (complete with actual footage of Bush in the film). You can never be too careful.

[Abroad]

It is very possible that some lunatics might feel somehow legitimized in fantasizing about murder when hearing down wright irresponsible remarks such as those of Liz Trotta. And I am quite sure the secret service keeps an eye on who publicly says offensive things about Sen. Obama.

I am also convinced that public debate on what is acceptable and not in terms of public personal attacks is the best way to bring things under control.

I however don't think that overwhelming the secret service with mail about this particular instance helps them in anyway do their job.

[kgarry]

The email I sent to Fox, the FCC and the Secret Service:

I am having trouble putting the words together to express to you how angry I am over your commentator Liz Trotta and her comment morphing Obama into Osama and then gleefully hoping that both would be killed. This kind of misuse of PUBLIC AIRWAVES to encourage and call for the assassination of a leading presidential candidate warrants the revocation of your license to broadcast and Ms. Trotta's immediate arrest.

If I stood on a street corner, megaphone in hand, calling for such a dreadful thing you know I would be arrested in a minute. I am forwarding a copy of this email to the FCC and the Secret Service with an attached demand for immediate action. Your position as satellite White House press office should, in no way, allow you to so blatantly violate the trust inherent in your FREE use of MY AIRWAVES! Her use of those airwaves, calling on your apparently brain-dead viewers, to kill the presumptive (D) presidential nominee, if not treasonous, exposes you, her, and the rest of your ilk as the true enemies of this country and all it has ever stood for (your wishful thinking and revisionism notwithstanding).

This is beyond screaming "Fire!" in a crowded theater. In that case, an apology would be insufficient, and it is not enough for Ms. Trotta, either. Perhaps a little community service: say, some custodial duties at the local Obama campaign headquarters.

[MicahBrwn]

Except that Fox News is a cable channel, and thus is not under the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission. If this anchor had been on, say, the Today Show, then yes the FCC would be involved. But as she wasn't, they're not.

[elektrik]

huh? The cable industry would argue with that, since the Chairperson Martin seems to have a penchant for punishing them.

From the FCC web page

About the FCC

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent United States government agency. The FCC was established by the Communications Act of 1934 and is charged with regulating interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable."

[Temsi]

I agree with your sentiment, but unfortunately Faux Noise is on cable and not on the public airwaves, which means the FCC has no teeth in this matter (even though they've been trying to control cable for years, but only to be able to filter out language, nudity and violence).

However, this is an incendiary remark, even if it's made "in jest". "I was joking" has never been a valid excuse for publicly wishing for the death of the President or a Presidential candidate.
She MUST be fired, and she MUST be investigated by the Secret Service. That much is a given.

[suziesbro]

To clarify the FCC/Fox/cable issue: The FCC regulates the technical aspects of cable, not its programming. That is reserved for the public airwaves (although its current stewardship is a bit of a joke!)

Since cable systems do not use the public airwaves (except for uplinking and downlinking--and they are covered by other rules--and they are not "public airways") the FCC does not involve itself in what is seen on cable.

It is the reality which allows Fox "News" to get away with its blatant blather, reflecting the views of Murdoch, Ailes and other right-wingers, all under the phony guise of "Fair and Balanced," when they are anything but.

The Fox television stations, and Murdoch's Fox broadcast network, do fall under the purview of the Commission. It is this law that led Murdoch to pursue American citizenship.

If there are problems with cable programming, other agencies would investigate -- although the chances of anything being done before next January are virtually nil.

[strifeknot]

I'm as appalled by Trotter's comments as anyone, but calling for the Secret Service to investigate her is silly.

Such an investigation would find she's merely a foolish, big-mouthed pundit, not an erstwhile terrorist. It's enough to condemn her words, ask for an apology, and move on. Her Clintonian non-apology is the best we can expect from her or from FOX, no sense whipping ourselves into a frenzy any further.

Besides, for all we know, the Secret Service could be inquiring into the the matter already, but they certainly would never comment on it publicly. They will give us no words to vindicate our outrage, nor do we need them to.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

The secret service works for GWya, and therefore, the RIGHT, and therefore, will do nothing. But to excuse Trotter's behavior as "pundit" behavior... is wrong.

Do you think YOU would be let off without a word if you started saying things like that in public? I doubt it... you may even be in Guantanamo by now.

She should be FIRED and FCC should punish Fox.

[strifeknot]

What should the Secret Service do? Do you really there's anything for them to find?

It's not their job to get this creep fired. The Secret Service should not be used to bully partisans with whom you disagree, no matter how awful they really are. Let them devote their time to keeping an eye on those actually likely to do harm.

Let her be reprimanded or fired, but don't bring the Secret Service into it. There's not point in them being dragged into some stupid political spat, which is what this is.

[TheIndependenceParty]

The man who oversees the functions of the Secret Service, ... and the man who oversees the functions of that man, ... Geoge Bush, ... need to make a simple and certain statement: "Nothing which is, or could be taken to be, a direct threat upon the life of a Federal office holder, or a candidate for any Federal Ofice, will be tolerated in the press, the public, or in private, as may be explicitly prohibited under Federal Statutes regarding the safety and security of Federal Officeholders, or Candidates for Federal Office.

Are there not laws? After Lincoln, and JFK, and Wallace, and RFK, .. and Reagan, are there no laws? Do we not enforce them?

If I make an offhand comment as I attempt to board a plane that "my shampoo bottle" might be filled with explosives, and can be prosecuted for such a statement, ... how can it be permissible for a commentator such as Fox employs, Liz Trotta, to say that she thinks it would be a good idea to assassinate a presidential candidate, Barack Obama?

Mr. President, ... You are the top Law Officer in theUnited States. Seems it is about time you did your damned job! Speak up, please! It is still your watch, Sir!

[Insideout143]

Don't hold your breath.