Romney aide’s bogus (police) badges: Sources detail ‘illegal’ security tactic

[Breeze54]

http://news.bostonherald.com/politics/view.bg?articleid=1012402">Romney aide’s bogus badges: Sources detail ‘illegal’ security tactic

By Casey Ross/ Exclusive
Boston Herald Reporter

Friday, July 20, 2007 - Updated: 12:21 PM EST

In an apparent violation of the law, a controversial aide to ex-Gov. Mitt Romney created phony
law enforcement badges that he and other staffers used on the campaign trail to strong-arm
reporters, avoid paying tolls and trick security guards into giving them immediate access to
campaign venues, sources told the Herald.

The bogus badges were part of the bizarre security tactics allegedly employed by Jay Garrity,
the director of operations for Romney who is under investigation for impersonating a law
enforcement officer in two states. Garrity is on a leave of absence from the campaign while
the probe is ongoing.



A campaign source said Garrity directed underlings on Romney’s presidential staff to use the
badges at events nationwide to create an image of security and to ensure that the governor’s
events went smoothly.

Jason Garrity

http://www.hopkins.edu/news/news/detail.asp?from=archives&newsid=114850

“They (the aides) knew the badges were fake and probably illegal,” said a presidential campaign
source who asked for anonymity because the story could damage the individual’s career.
“But they went along with it because Jay (Garrity) pushed it on them.”

A spokesman for Romney issued an e-mailed statement. “No one on the Mitt Romney for President
campaign is authorized to use a badge, nor has the campaign provided anyone with a badge,”
the statement reads. “Jay Garrity is not working on the campaign because he continues to be
on a leave of absence.”

More...

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Unbelievable!! Romney is so honest and just an upstanding rethug!! :sarcasm:

[siri2k]

1. Kick! n/t

[Breeze54]

2. Welcome to DU, siri2k!

:hi: and thanks for the kick! ;)

[myrna minx]

3. What is it with Repubs and dress up? n/t

[Richard Steele]

12. Apparently, CosPlay is one of their "family values".

[BuyingThyme]

4. Exclusive? What's that?

Thanks Casey Ross. More please.

[Breeze54]

5. Actually, I couldn't find anything about this story on

The Boston Channel.com (ABC-Boston) at all, although they did run the story on the morning news.

Maybe because The Boston Herald is considered RW, that he got the story first? :shrug:

I wish it wasn't buried, as it appears to be when I google it.

This story needs to be spread far and wide!! ;)

[BuyingThyme]

6. Then...

kcik

[Breeze54]

7. LOL!

:applause: :applause:

Now to post it in more places! ;)

[HonorTheConstitution]

8. In Nazi Germany we called these thugs "Hitler Jugend (Youth)" Give them fake batches and they start

abusing their power and declare others as "Untermenschen".

And sure, Romney was totally shocked and has not any idea how that could happen!

[Breeze54]

9. Seems to be typical rethug behavior to me!!

Under handed liars!! Typical!!

I doubt Mitt the Shit was shocked at all!

If his lips are moving, he's lying!

Welcome to DU, HonorTheConstitution! :hi:

[Supersedeas]

17. Freepah's with a license to harrass -- a dream job for creeps

[Tinksrival]

10. Ol' Mitt flip flopping again.....

"Badges, We don't need no stinking badges"

[Breeze54]

11. "We don't need no stinking LEGAL badges"

:P

[King Coal]

13. Oh. Sure. Let's start picking on the Mormons, now.

:sarcasm:

[Breeze54]

14. lmao!

:P

[kskiska]

15. Elvis had police badges, too

but he got his right from the top.

[Breeze54]

16. Wow!! That's an old picture!

Looks like they're passing notes! :P

[Disturbed]

18. What a weak reply this is.

"Jay Garrity is not working on the campaign because he continues to be
on a leave of absence.”

If this is any indication of how Mitt would be as Pres.: Be afraid.

[Breeze54]

19. He was my Gov! PUKE!!

Be afraid!!!! He's a lying sack of shit carpetbagger!!

[BrotherBuzz]

20. This is Standard Operating Procedure for GOP. Heck, even Bush* team employed it in 05

Secret Service eyes volunteer who tossed 3 from Bush event( up to three years in prison)

Source: Boston globe
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/04/24/secret_service_eyes_volunteer_who_t
Published: Apr 25, 2005
Author: Jim VandeHei

WASHINGTON -- The US Secret Service is intensifying its investigation into whether a Republican volunteer committed the federal crime of impersonating a federal agent while forcibly removing three people from one of President Bush's public Social Security events, according to people familiar with the probe.

The Secret Service in Washington last week sent agents to Denver to probe allegations by three area Democrats that they were ousted from Bush's March 21 event. The three did not stage any protest at the rally and were later told by the Secret Service they were removed because an anti-Bush bumper sticker was displayed on their vehicle.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the man who removed them was a GOP volunteer, but he refused to divulge his name or whether he works in Colorado or Washington. ''If someone is coming to an event to disrupt it, they are going to be asked to leave," he said.

The Secret Service knows the man's name, the source said, and has interviewed him. Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin refused to comment for this story.

This is not the first time the White House has faced scrutiny for ousting critics from Bush appearances or peopling the audiences with friendly Republicans.

<more>

http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=93318

[Breeze54]

21. Makes me wonder about the woman raped in MA last week by a "cop" on the highway!

Makes me wonder a lot; if one of those badges is being used for nefarious means!