Secret Service Acted Without Pay, Thanks To Democrats

Although the U.S. Secret Service did a great job in apprehending a shooter at the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton, they are doing so without pay.

This is thanks to the Democrats led by Chuck Schumer in refusing to find the Department of Homeland Security which oversees the Secret Service along with the TSA. 

According to Fox News:

A shooting near President Donald Trump and several Cabinet members Saturday night is putting a spotlight on the Secret Service’s funding shortfall amid an ongoing standoff in Congress.

A gunman opened fire outside the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., where celebrities, members of the press and administration officials had gathered, prompting a swift security response. The suspect is in custody and has not been identified. One Secret Service agent was reportedly shot in their protective vest but is uninjured.

The incident unfolded near a security screening area, prompting a rapid response from Secret Service agents and law enforcement.

The shooting comes amid a more than 60-day funding stalemate in Congress over the Department of Homeland Security — a lapse driven by Democrats blocking funding bills and rejecting multiple GOP-backed proposals to reopen the department.

The funding standoff centers on disputes over immigration enforcement policy and has raised concerns about resources for agencies including the Secret Service, FEMA and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting the president, vice president, their families and other senior U.S. officials, along with visiting heads of state, has faced growing demands in recent years.

The incident adds to a growing list of threats against Trump, including two confirmed assassination attempts and a recent incident involving an armed intruder at Mar-a-Lago.

To read more, go here. 

WHCA Shooting

The White House Correspondents Association shooting incident was weird in a lot of respects. 

Above, this is what greeted me when I turned on the television to watch the
 White House Correspondents Association dinner. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last night, around 7:10 or so, I remembered that it would be taking place. I wanted to watch it, so I headed into the living room and put on the television. I put on Live Now From Fox as they always cover such events. Immediately, the bottom of the screen indicated that there was a "security situation" at the dinner, held at the Washington Hilton. WTF?! I was totally unaware that anything happened.

Moments later, the station replayed the incident what included the ushering of President Trump from the ballroom. It reminded me a lot of the banquet scenes of the Clint Eastwood movie, In The Line of Fire (1993) in which Eastwood played a senior Secret Service agent. (Great movie, by the way!)

At first, it was unknown what exactly happened. Then, it was said that there may have been a shooting. Then it was said that there was a shooting at the security checkpoint in the hotel lobby. It was also said the shooter was killed. Then it was reported that he was apprehended. 

All kinds of rumors swirled around. Over the next two hours. I was glued to the television coverage.

I kept watching until after President Trump's press briefing at the White House and the briefing by Washington, D.C. law enforcement. 

This morning, it was reported that the shooter is a teacher from Torrance, California. Sadly, I was not surprised that this wacko was from California and a teacher, considering the left-wing politics in that state (that I left eight years ago). It was also reported that the shooter is a Democrat. Sadly, I was not surprised again. 

Interestingly, none of the broadcasts I saw mentioned that the Washington Hilton was the scene of the attempted assassination of President Reagan in 1981. I saw the site of that shooting in 1982 when I was in Washington to attend a White House reception for the 1980 California Delegation to the Republican National Convention. 

When will this madness from the Left end? 

WHCA Shooter Identified

The shooter at the White House Correspondents Association dinner last night at the Washington Hilton has been identified.

He has been identified as Cole Allen, a California (no surprise!) teacher (again, no surprise!) from Torrance. 

President Trump and Vice President Vance were escorted to safety.

In viewing a video of the incident, it is a wonder that the Secret Service and law enforcement were able to stop him. That sucker ran fast! 

It is thankful that there were no serious injuries. A uniformed officer's bullet-proof vest protected him. 

If the Washington Hilton sounds familiar, it should. It was where the assassination attempt on President Reagan took place on March 30, 1981.

Above, the site of the Reagan assassination attempt at the Washington Hilton. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Reagan Assassination Attempt 42 Years Ago

Above, the site of the Reagan assassination attempt in June 1981. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today marks 42 years since the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan took place at the Washington Hilton.

From Firstpost:

1981 – Failed attempt of assassination against US President Ronald Reagan

US President Ronald Reagan was shot and severely injured by John W. Hinckley Jr. on this day in 1981. Hinckley Jr. was trying to assassinate Reagan, just two months following his inauguration as the 40th President.

I remember that day quite well. I was at my desk at United Pacific/Reliance Insurance Cos. offices in Los Angeles when one of our underwriters came over to me and told me that Reagan had just been shot. He knew that I was a California Reagan delegate at the 1980 GOP National Convention in Detroit.

People reacted at first much like they did when President Kennedy was assassinated and, realizing not much work would be taking place, we were released. Fortunately, the outcome was much better and Reagan fully recovered.  

The following year (June 1982), I was invited to the White House for a reception for the California Delegation to the 1980 Republican National Convention. 

Since my hotel was within blocks of the Washington Hilton, I took one of their shuttles into Washington, D.C. from Dulles International Airport to the Washington Hilton. Before walking to my hotel, I took some photos of the assassination attempt scene. At that time, it was unchanged from the previous year,

40th Anniversary of the Reagan Assassination Attempt

Above, the site of the shooting at the Washington Hilton. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While doing some reading on Twitter, I came across a Tweet by Michael Reagan who said that he was invited to participate in a Fox Nation special on the 40th anniversary of the assassination attempt on President Reagan.

It is hard to believe that I has been that long (March 30, 1981) and I remember exactly how I got the news.

A year later, during a trip to Washington, D. C. to attend a White House reception for the 1980 California Delegation to the GOP National Convention, I visited the spot where the shooting took place at the Washington Hilton.

40 years. Man, does that make one feel old!