A Lufkin woman received a surprise visit from the Secret Service last week because of a "death threat" comment she reportedly made about Sen. Barack Obama to a campaign volunteer asking for her support of the presidential candidate.
Two federal agents arrived at Jessica Hughes' home Thursday to ask her if she said, "I will never support Obama and he will wind up dead on a hospital floor."
Jessica Savage/The Lufkin Daily News |
Jessica and Micah Hughes say two Secret Service agents showed up on their doorstep Thursday after a campaign volunteer for Sen. Barack Obama accused her of making a 'death threat' during a phone conversation a day earlier.
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Hughes said her words were deliberately twisted by a volunteer who was apparently unhappy Hughes was rude during a phone conversation the two had. The Lufkin mother, a Republican, said she received a call on her cell phone Wednesday from a woman with the Obama Volunteers of Texarkana.
"She asked if I was an Obama supporter, to which I replied, 'No, I don't support him. Your guy is a socialist who voted four times in the state Senate to let little babies die in hospital closets; I think you should find something better to do with your time.' (And then) I hung up."
(Hughes is referring to a "born alive" Illinois bill that did not pass in the Illinois state Senate in 2005 and had previously been opposed by Obama because he said it undermined Roe v. Wade, according to FactCheck.org, a non-partisan organization. A federal version of the bill, which Obama said he would have supported, passed by unanimous consent and was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2002.)
Obama Campaign Communications for Texas director Josh Taylor declined to comment Monday, refusing to answer any questions and referring the matter to the Secret Service, which he said is conducting an investigation. A message left with a Secret Service agent in Houston was not immediately returned.
Hughes said she was surprised to see two Secret Service agents at her door, and upset to learn that the conversation she had with the volunteer apparently had not been recorded.
"I find it hard to believe that (campaign volunteers) don't tape these calls. They call people unsolicited and they aren't monitoring the calls or recording them? I think that is absolutely ridiculous," she said.
"I mean, how often must this happen — that someone is rude to a volunteer that they don't want to talk to?"
Hughes said she wants to file a countercomplaint against the volunteer.
"She has made a charge that will follow me the rest of my life," she said.
"I find that repugnant and violating — that some person got her undies in a bundle because she didn't like what I had to say."
Comments
By Janet
Nov 18, 2008 7:40 PM | Link to this
Yes shocking that if someone reports that someone else wants to do harm to the President the Secret Service will check it out, just like they've been doing for decades. Somehow this seems like a great miscarriage of justice to some of you (again not like this is unusual, the Secret Service spends the majority of their time checking out threats against the President, that vast majority of which are unwarranted and/or false). You know, if you call the local police and tell them that you're neighbor threatened to kill you they'll probably (if they're a good police force) send a squad car by to chat with the ole' neighbor. They won't ask if you have a wiretap, a video tape or a signed confession from the person you're accusing. This means, of course, that your accusation could be false. They didn't arrest this woman, they didn't hold her against her will, they didn't do anything but interview her. This Secret Service has nothing to do with Obama. The fearful rants of "Hitler", "Stalin" etc are either irresponsible or uninformed. Sounds like some stupid campaign staffer made a stupid call, the Secret Service DID THEIR JOB (so tired of these people getting trashed, all whom have given their lives to public service). This whole story is the proverbial mountain out of a molehill.
By Kelly E.Griffin
Nov 18, 2008 6:57 PM | Link to this
Where is there proof of a threat being made against Obama?
If the SS Secret Service has no proof of a threat being made, why are they showing up at someone's house at all?
Because a campaign volunteer/paid staffer got ticked because someone disagreed with them?
What form of proof is required to be considered a valid complaint?
Guess the Democratic party is going to pick up with and excel the Military commissions act of 2007 signed by President Bush, and test it's limits before the President elect even officially takes office. Lucky she didn't get arrested and held without Habeus Corpus rights indefintely as an internal terrorist.
Everyone better get over the partisan bickering and differences and realize no matter which elected representative you negatively voice your opinion to or now about, this could happen to you, regardless of political affiliation.
Kind of reminds of the witch hunts and Stalin & Hitler youth group movements, and communist activites of turning in your neighbor for crimes because you disagree with them.
Better report them before they report you....huh.
By Kelly E.Griffin
Nov 18, 2008 6:52 PM | Link to this
Where is there proof of a threat being made against Obama?
If the SS Secret Service has no proof of a threat being made, why are they showing up at someone's house at all?
Because a campaign volunteer/paid staffer got ticked because someone disagreed with them?
What form of proof is required to be considered a valid complaint?
Guess the Democratic party is going to pick up with and excel the Military commissions act of 2007 signed by President Bush, and test it's limits before the President elect even officially takes office. Lucky she didn't get arrested and held without Habeus Corpus rights indefintely as an internal terrorist.
Everyone better get over the partisan bickering and differences and realize no matter which elected representative you negatively voice your opinion to or now about, this could happen to you, regardless of political affiliation.
Kind of reminds of the witch hunts and Stalin & Hitler youth group movements, and communist activites of turning in your neighbor for crimes because you disagree with them.
Better report them before they report you....huh.
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Nov 18, 2008 12:58 PM | Link to this
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By Jacob
Nov 18, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this
"Victim"? You're right it is overused, as it is in this case. Ultimate responsibility is taking 100% accountability for your actions. Most of us, when we receive an unwanted solicitation, hang up or ask the caller not to call back, it doesn't even make dinner conversation. In this case Ms. Hughes sounded off (as is her right). Whatever she said (and we'll never know the facts) the campaign worked called the Secret Service, and Ms. Hughes sounded off to them as well (again as is her right). I'm clear that no one in here will say "you reap what you sow" and point out that it is an odd "coincidence" that she was "victimized" by both a campaign worked and the Secret Service. Couldn't be a result her actions, no she was a "victim". So of of the hundreds of thousands calls made, one women get's "victimized" and your suggestion is that campaigns spend more money to set up recording equipment and then record all the calls made to all people? How about we just ignore this non-story and save all campaigns a lot of needless work and additional expense?
The issue at hand is she doesn't like Obama, nothing wrong with that. What did or did or didn't happen is incidental. Again, if calls were being recorded she would have been equally outraged. This was merely a platform for her to communicate her outrage with her perception of Obama's policies. More power to her. But to call her a "victim" is a fallacy.
By TJ
Nov 18, 2008 10:55 AM | Link to this
If it's logistically possible to make the calls, it's logistically possible to record them. It's also logistically possible for the volunteer to tell the person receiving the unsolicited call that "this call is being recorded for your protection." If these callers (or their bosses) foresee the possibility that they may have to call Secret Service based on the phone conversations, it's in their best interest to record the calls. If allegations are to be taken seriously, then the calls should be taken seriously by the calling organization. I hate to use an over-used term but clearly in this case this Texas woman was a victim, and if this is permitted in the future, it will spread. What's to say that a rule couldn't be put in place that all campaign calls should be recorded?
By Mark
Nov 18, 2008 9:34 AM | Link to this
Obama never voted for any such thing. The distortions about Obama are amazing. Keep in mind, the bible says the father of lies is -- oh, go look it up.
By Liza
Nov 17, 2008 6:26 PM | Link to this
A few buddies and myself voted for Obama. We're very proud that he WILL become our President! Although, there is a woman we work with who is absolutely against Obama. She has nothing but threats to pass his way while people are discussing him.
I have no idea how to deal with this kind of disrespect towards another human being. She declares it's not his race; but his religion, his ethics, his heritage. I've explained that he IS an American citizen. She cannot get past "SCREAMING" her harsh feelings and threats!
Is there anything I can do to make her stop with the death threats? It's honestly not a very comfortable work situation right now. We're all afriad that she's going to go off the deep end one of these days.
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