I Love a Man in Uniform
How strange and troubling it was to see the guy with the shaved head who introduced Sarah Palin at her rally in Florida yesterday. His name is Mike Scott and although he bears some resemblance to the Ayotollah of Rock 'n' Rolla from the movie Road Warrior, he is actually the Sheriff of Lee County, Florida. The problem? He was wearing his uniform at the time. Not that he should have been up there at all. But a guy in police blues and carrying a sidearm stirring up the crowd...did this bother anyone else?
In America -- and I think we're still in America -- isn't the law -- as represented by, oh, I don't know...cops? -- supposed to remain publicly neutral? So we citizens don't get the idea the cops might, oh, I don't know...favor one group over another? I know that sounds a little naïïve-bordering-on-Kumbaya, but isn't it, oh, I don't know......the law?
Sheriffs are citizens, of course, and they are entitled to vote for whomever they choose. But there is something more than a little unseemly, not to say threatening, about a guy dressed like a gay Strip-o-Gram sneering the name Barack Hussein Obama as he introduces Palin to her salivating mob.
It isn't enough that Palin basically calls Obama a terrorist. It isn't enough that McCain is saying his opponent is a Manchurian candidate. But an armed guy in a sheriff's uniform as your combination political hit man/master of ceremonies? You expect to see someone like that introducing Qaddafi, or Hugo Chavez, or some other thug answerable to no one. But the hockey mom? The winker?
There have been a lot of adjectives thrown around to describe Governor Palin, but here's one that fits: sinister.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
Outrageous. Downright dangerous and I thought unethical. From all that I know about Lee County
Sheriff Mike Scott, located in Ft. Myers Florida, I'm assuming he's a city official, elected and UP for re-election. That he would come to a rally in full uniform with a gun and spout out the "Hussein" lie to make people believe (fear) that Barack is a Muslim, when in fact anyone can look up his old friends and classmates and confirm that Barack was born a Christian, raised one and is one. I always thought that people in MIKE SCOTT's position were not supposed to put themselves in compromising positions. But he has yet to be punished in any way, shape or form. I will write AND call his office and speak to Ft Myers internal affairs. Keep in mind emails are not kept private by Florida's law. This is the very state that was stolen from Al Gore--imagine if he had been president???
I think it is just crap to keep bringing up his middle name like it means something. He got his name some 40 years before Saddam Hussein really entered into the radar range of the average American. Should everyone who has Timothy in his name run out and change it just because McVeigh blew up the Murrah Bldg in Oklahoma City?
Just ridiculous!
This seems a bit melodramatic. If Obama didn't like his name he could have changed it long ago. Yes, of course I see the reason behind Sheriff Scott using the name but I don't believe anyone in this country was unsure what Obama's middle name was before this comment. I somehow doubt this will sway any undecideds. I can't imagine someone sitting on the other side of the country catching a new clip about this and deciding based on this to vote against Obama.
The man is an elected official, if you don't like him wearing his uniform at political events and you live in his county vote against him. He didn't violate any laws no matter how it is sliced.
I like how Seth in one sentence speaks of this sheriff as though he were the bulwark of freedom and justice and the next sentence compares the man to a stripper.
Yes, he did! It is an ethics violation! There are laws regarding it!
Really? what is the statute? When was this law passed? What does the law say exactly? If this is a law then his action would be criminal and it would be the responsibility of the county DA to prosecute this. I suspect that this may be a ethics violation but not a point of law. Now an ethics violation is no small thing and may even be cause for removal from office but that is a concern of the voters of that county and not a criminal prosecution.
The Feds have now opened an investigation of Sheriff Mike Scott, acting on a complaint that he violated the Hatch Act: "A complaint sent to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel alleges that Scott violated the Hatch Act because his agency receives federal dollars, and Scott was engaging in political activity while on duty and in uniform. Erica S. Hamrick, senior attorney for the agency, said in an e-mail Tuesday that an investigation was being opened."
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081006/NEWS0107/81006002
I noticed that and gasped. I can only hope that the good people of Lee County call him on it. The Sherriff is an elected official, and both the Sherriff and the Sherriff's Deputies swear an oath to uphold the law. Showing his disgust for 'a name' tells me that he also has the same feeling for folks who don't look like him. How in heaven's name can he do his duty, with honor, to all the people of Lee County??
SCARY!!
Sinister indeed...
my thought process is how is he doing his job nuetraly? and i feel soory for anyone outside of hi standard of america that gets arrested by him. And I though it was a conflict of intrest for him to do that since he represents the the whole force...which comes from different back grouds...is he saying that everyone on the force belives as he does....
IT IS NOT ONLY SINISTER BUT VERY DISTURBING IT MIGHT EVEN BE ILLEGAL HE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO USE HIS OFFICE LIKE THAT
GOOD, Someone else noticed this too!!!
Isn't it against the law as a servant to the public do political work like that while representing your public position?
It would have been different if he were off duty and out of uniform, but he WAS NOT!!!
Not illegal just unethical
I know that for FEDERAL employees it is also illegal. In most state jobs it's also illegal.
As someone who is a public servant, I can tell you that him being out there in his uniform is an ethics violation!
Prohibited under the Hatch Act. File complaints people.
http://www.osc.gov/ha_fed.htm#may
Thanks, thats what I was thinking of, the Hatch Act... guess they are hoping at that rally, everyone else forgot the name of it too!!
It sounds like the Hatch Act applies to federal employees which this sheriff is not. However, it is still highly unethical and he should lose his job!
That cop should be suspended permanently, and never get another government paycheck again!
So sinister that I fear an October surprise...I'm telling you people, the Repugs always find a way to win and we always cry and scream and wonder what happened...we need to take action! I'm worried the polls are not necessarily as true a metric as we think.
It seems that they are going all out with the voter caging stuff all over the place. Heavy sigh.
Here is the link to the local press story about the federal investigation into the skinhead Sheriff:
http://news-press.com/article/20081006/NEWS0107/81006002/1075&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
At least its still a blue shirt. Brown ones later..
Understand the motivation and this sounds sick even to me - impressions are everything - she's talking about Senator Obama not being a 'safe' choice and what better way to 'highlight' that? I hope I'm wrong but I seriously doubt it. These things *do not* happen by mistake.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
