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TAMPA, Fla. -- A member of the U.S. Secret Service detail assigned to Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney inadvertently left a firearm unattended in the bathroom of the candidate's chartered flight Wednesday from Tampa to Indianapolis.
A reporter using the restroom later discovered the pistol next to the bathroom sink and alerted a flight attendant, who summoned a Secret Service agent to retrieve the weapon.
It remains unclear whether the weapon was loaded, and how long it was left in the 737's restroom before being discovered.
"We are aware of the incident. We take the care and custody of our equipment, especially firearms, very seriously," a spokesman for the Secret Service told NBC News. "We will deal with this matter internally and in an appropriate manner."
A spokesperson for the Romney campaign declined to comment on the matter, referring all questions to the Secret Service.
Romney first received Secret Service protection in January, following his victory in the Florida primary. His wife Ann received her own personal detail just last week.
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This reminds me of a 'sing-song' from FULL METAL JACKET:
"This is my rifle, this is my gun, this is for killing this is for fun"
Maybe the agent got to the restroom and forgot which was which...
Really? Shoot! (euphemism for sh1t).
Naked Gun 3.0?
..with Secret Services as replacement for O.J.
I didn't even know Frank Drebbin got promoted to the Secret Service from Police Squad! Makes sense this happened on an AIRPLANE!
--and don't call him Shirley.
Valkarie??
Unfortunately after Colombia these guys are forced to play with their own guns.
Sing-song? Ursula you were never in the Marine Corps, I know because you would never apply such a trivial description to a part of one of the most feared punishments in the Marine Corps. Semper Fi
well, there is one agent who will be re-assigned, you are totally responsible for your firearm issue, leaving it , by accident , in a lavatory is a dismissal offense, during my career I had many contacts with the Treasury agent , they always impressed me as being among the Best in law enforcement, and the presidential assignment is the best of the best.
Obviously the Secret Service thinks Romney is as big a joke as most free-thinkers. They give him the SS equivelent of Larry, Curly, and Moe.
This is what happens when you have a complete incompetent in the white house. Columbia, this incident, Fast and Furious, GSA partying even AFTER they were caught the first time. Zero leadership, what a disaster.
I hate to tell you Phil, but the US Secret Service is not under the direct command of the President. While he might be able to instruct them in what he wants to be doing, their duty is to protect the President and certain other individuals, regardless of party.
Whichever agent left his weapon in the lavatory will likely be removed from that detail. They might not be terminated (I don't know the exact regulations) but I'm sure they will be disciplined.
Here is Barack Obama's Main Accomplishments
Barack Obama's Main Accomplishment:
Signed the National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA) Bill into Law allowing any US citizen to Be Detained WITHOUT trial (A federal Court Blocked it in May because it Violates the Constitution, but Obama is not trying to get it UNBLOCKED!). (Source: )
He has Killed HUNDREDS of Innocent people (Including 3 American Citizens) in Pakistan and Yemen with Drone Strikes (He’s Ordered even more drone strikes than Bush!).
The rate of National Debt under George Bush was Around $60 Billion a Month. Under Obama, it’s been $190 Billion a Month, so that would be Nearly $600 Per US Citizen (Thanks Obama!)
Obama Care: Page 22. MANDATES, The Government will Audit Book of ALL Employers who Self Insure. Page 50, Section 152, Health Care WILL be Provided to ALL Non US Citizens, Illegal or otherwise. Page 126, Lines 22-25, Employers Must Pay for Their Part time Employees Health Care AND Their Families. Page 127, Lines 1-16, The Government WILL Tell you How much Money you can Make.
Obama has By-passed Congress to Enable the DREAM Act (Unconstitutional to By-Pass Congress, and the Illegals he allowed to become Legal Citizens has Committed over 19 Murders and Over 142 Sex crimes).
Obama Claims he Campaigned in 57 States (Maybe he wasn’t Born in this Country?).
Killed Osama Bin Laden. F**k yeah! Close enough! Spike that ball!
Also, you dipstick, if you were to follow legal immigration and naturalization, you would find a heck of a lot more murderers and sexual preditors than your statistics (which I doubt have any basis in non-FOX reality).
One more: If you were to tally up all of the things that the Shrub did over the years (water boarding, sending Bin Laden's family out of New York on the night of the Sept 11 attacks), ...
Ah, forget it. I don't have the strength to argue with narrow-minded people like you, zman.
Make sure that you are up on your blood pressure medicine when President Obama is re-elected for another 4 years! That kind of bitter disappointment mixed with high blood pressure may be fatal.
This is news- why?
Hmm...
...so...
Secret Service agents do something stupid in advance of President Obama's visit to Colombia = "NEWS!!!!"
...but...
Secret Service agent does something stupid while on Mr. Romney's security detail = "...meh..."
Nope...no double-standards here.
Yet Snookie-Joe just can't help but commenting!
Her hubby must be traveling again and thanking every minute he doesn't have to spend with this hate-monger!
Come on darling, tell us again how rape disrupts ovulation again... ya old goat!
Really has to suck to be a bitter, lonely old broad who no one listens too! lol
Im not so sure that was news that should have been pounded on us either, Noid. Didn't seem it served ny public interest at all- but I'm pretty sure it did serve to titallate, so they ran with it.
The Secret Servce has an essential job to do. When they fail, it should be addressed- by the loss of careers, in the case of what went on on the South American trip- probably with a reprimand and re-assignment in this case.
But,why publicize it? I'm afraid it only encourages the crazies- and who needs that?
Article is about a gun left out on an airplane, and you're talking about this?
Please, you're just as bad as the people on the fringe right you criticize so much. I don't care for their dribble, but I'm getting really tired of your personal attack crap on this board.
Well El Stupo if you don't want to read what Feisty Red had to say. Run along and pout. he as a right to her opinion.
you got me. I was wondering the same thing...
oh the irony
I wouldn't mind her having an opinion. It's just that her opinions are often severely off-topic and deal nothing in personal attacks.
I call out both sides when they do it, because it's annoying as hell and solves nothing. Partisan hackery FTW!
They found the gun. Where was the hooker?
With Snookie-Joe's hubby!
Feisty: You are an A**. You are so obvious that it is hard believe that NBC (First Read) would continues to use you, or the people that make up you. I suspect that there is more than one Fishy at First Read. You get the Articles in advance and no matter what hour jump in, usually first to make an inane point and back it up with rob-votes,
Lay off the robo-voting. I would suggest you get off of this site except NBC owns it.
So I will close with SYFM.
The gun wouldn't fit in the toilet. There was an old 19 minute reel-to-reel tape spool clogging it already.
Gil-2872519 - If you want the first comment on first read subscribe to the RSS, twitter, email feeds at the top and you get notified right away when they put an article out.
so...let's assume for one moment that a flight attendant or a reporter might be an operative for a faction that wishes to see Mr. Romney disposed of. And let's assume that one of the Secret Service agents is also in on the plot. A gun conveniently left in an airplane's bathroom seems less trivial then. And...besides that...no one has ever successfully pinned the JFK murder on LBJ. Or have they? Good stuff for a Hollywood script. A "B-" movie but still plausible if you believe some of the other garbage that Hollywood passes out is worth watching.
"so...let's assume for one moment that a flight attendant or a reporter might be an operative for a faction that wishes to see Mr. Romney disposed of. And let's assume that one of the Secret Service agents is also in on the plot."
... and this would be bad for the country how?
It'd be funny if it was the other guy's plane.
So GovHater, you condone murder?
What faction might that be? Middle Class or Working Poor America, perhaps?
Okaydeno: "The Godfather" was NOT a B- movie! (The problem is that the aircraft didn't have an old-fashioned toilet with the "chain thing".)
Uh no I don't condone murder, I was being sarcastic (duh)! In my book, he's just another lying, treasonous politician and if something unfortunate happened to him, I wouldn't lose sleep any more than I would any other criminal.
The SS agent screwed up, big time. No reason this should have made it to the news though. The incident should have been handled internally.
Handled internally within the government circles just like the Warren Commission and the investigation of MLK's death? Doesn't matter, I guess. Everything would be withheld in the name of National Security regardless. The American public is on a need-to-know basis. Our Federal (mis)government figures we don't need to know anything.
Handled internally like Fast & Furious? If we had a REAL media in this country everyone would know who Brian Terry was.
Decades ago when gubmint employees in high ranks had a standard of professionalism, handling internally would be fine. But it's screw ups by the busload now and cover ups by the shipload. I can't say exactly when professionalism left the gubmint, but it is gone. In this case they never had a chance for internal handling as it was a reporter who went to the bathroom and discovered the weapon laying there. Naturally the reporter's gonna report it. It was probably the only exclusive he/she ever had !
Yeah, but the gun was found by a reporter!
No worry, the SS will be replaced in 2013 along with Nobama...
Mittens likes to fire people.
I think this was the detail that was sampling the prostitutes for President BO (aka Stinky), so he wouldn't have to get his TonyD involved with that fat-bottomed Moochella. Can't blame him really.
Wait a second thug, I left my gun in the bathroom, I'll be right back OK?
Incompetent.
Was this the same Secret Service detail that was procuring prostitutes for the President in South America?
Repeating the same idiotic statement does nothing to improve your credibility.
My tax money payes to protect this pisce of ****. He has even won. Talk about wasteing taxpayers money
If your the product of public ed system there was another waste of money.
Was a dinner date to NY on Air Farce One money well spent?
BO takes his hog to European countries is that a waste of money?
stlnick,
You have no room to talk about the products of the public education system. Obviously, 'you're' not perfect either!
@stlnick What hog? Does he ride a Harley?
I was to pissed off to give a dam @!$%# about my spelling. If Repukes win. You can see they will not be cuting @!$%#. Repukes are so corrupt the goverment pays for their dam protection. Even when their not VOTED IN. THIS IS BULL@!$%#
Why is the Fisted Dead Head the only one allowed to spew his/her
hatred and tell people to stfu. It makes for an interesting read
but then the silly chihuahua army chimes in.
As I read the story it reads as if a SS agent was sitting in a plane
completely ready to do nothing if needed.... I always thought the agents
spent a few days learning how to use a side arm and the to lose it?
So I guess if the fire dept shows without a fire extinguisher that
should be glossed over also?
I feel sorry for that agent who misplaced his gun, now that it's in the press. But I wonder too about how this could be made public.
Reporters that are ready to trap the secret service in a mistake on a plane, is also a security problem.
But if you're going to find a gun on a plane, a plane full of secret service agents escorting a presidential candidate is not so bad.
No doubt that agent is going to get his ass kicked, though.
Didn't you read the article? A "member of the press" found the weapon.
Question one is why was the weapon removed from the holster to begin with and question two is what armed per son, especially a SS agent, not aware of exactly where their firearm is located? This agent will have a fine career as a mall security guard.
It's going to be very difficult for this SS agent to live this one down.
Actually, I don't believe the story at all. Sounds like BS to me.
Sounds to me he was being safe to take his pistol out of his holster. Maybe it's heartening that perhaps he even washed his hands!
I wonder what the worst duty there is for an FBI agent? This agent better make plans on moving to Alaska or some other remote outpost! LOL
He was washing it.
He was distracted by the hooker that was in there with him.
I'm sure he won the pay dispute!!
"Excuse me, flight attendant, where is the restroom?"
"Back, and to the left. Back, and to the left. Back..."
Everyone knows that a cop thinks of his gun as if it were his penis. You find it so hard to believe he left it (the gun) in the bathroom...? Really ????
My big gun has to stay with me, it's attached!!
Whatever.
Not a "pistol" - - will be a semi-auto - - - maybe a tour in Plains, GA will make him more responsible!!!
It was only an incidental firearm............. According to news reports...... It could have been something much more important to him........ His "little black book" of "prostitutes" in every city, they visit.
Mr. Reporter who found the gun....was it REALLY necessary to report this to the news media. Is it REALLY newsworthy? What's your point????
Duh, of course it was loaded.
He probably pulled it from his holster before dropping his pants to take a dump. Loaded guns are heavy and will have your pants in the yuk that is on the restroom floor in a second. I pull mine in a restroom but just like zipping my fly I put the gun back before exiting the stall.