Kerry O’Grady, a senior U.S. Secret Service, is in hot water over some Facebook posts about President Trump during the past seven months, including one in which she said she wouldn’t want to “take a bullet” for him.
O’Grady, a special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Denver district, oversees coordination with Washington-based advance teams for all presidential candidate and presidential trips to the area, including all upcoming or future trips by the president, vice president or Trump administration officials.
In one particular Facebook post, O’Grady endorsed Hillary Clinton, while also saying she would sooner endure “jail time” rather than “taking a bullet”. She considered Trump’s election a “disaster” for America. However, the post didn’t mention Trump by name, specifically. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General, which investigates agency complaints of misbehavior, received a complaint about O’Grady’s Facebook posts on October 11, a source told The Examiner.
via Washington Examiner:
Despite her senior security role, she has made her disdain for Trump and his incoming administration clear to her Facebook followers, who included current and former Secret Service agents and other people who were employees at the time of the posts. O’Grady’s posts triggered at least one complaint to the office that oversees investigations into Secret Service misbehavior, two knowledgeable sources told the Washington Examiner.
O’Grady also mentioned the Hatch Act in this Facebook post. The Hatch Act, which was enacted in 1939, bars executive branch staff, except the president, vice president and some other senior executive officials, from engaging in certain political activities.
“As a public servant for nearly 23 years, I struggle not to violate the Hatch Act. So I keep quiet and skirt the median. To do otherwise can be a criminal offense for those in my position. Despite the fact that I am expected to take a bullet for both sides.
But this world has changed and I have changed. And I would take jail time over a bullet or an endorsement for what I believe to be disaster to this country and the strong and amazing women and minorities who reside here. Hatch Act be damned. I am with Her,” O’Grady wrote in the now-deleted Facebook post.
The U.S. Secret Service responded to the Washington Examiner, saying “The USSS is aware of the postings and we are looking into the matter.” It’s unclear if Secret Service allows agents and other employees from engaging in political speech on social media.
O’Grady stressed in her interview that she would in no way shirk her duties to protect the president because of her opposition to Trump’s candidacy and support for Clinton. In response to whether her expression of her opposition to Trump would affect her ability to do her job, O’Grady said:
“I hope you understand that’s an emphatic no and I need to make sure that’s resoundingly clear and just reinforces that this job needs to done well.”
What Happened?
In a series of Facebook posts, Secret Service agent Kerry O’Grady expressed disgust for Donald Trump.
In one particular Facebook post, written in October when Trump was still just the Republican nominee, O’Grady endorsed Hillary Clinton, while also saying she would sooner endure “jail time” rather than “taking a bullet”.
As a Secret Service agent, this was a violation of The Hatch Act. The Hatch Act, which was enacted in 1939, bars executive branch staff, except the president, vice president and some other senior executive officials, from engaging in certain political activities.
Who is Kerry O’Grady?
Kerry O’Grady is a senior Secret Service agent. O’Grady is special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s Denver district. O’Grady oversees coordination with Washington-based advance teams for all presidential candidate and presidential trips to the area, including all upcoming or future trips by the president, vice president or Trump administration officials.
