Secret Service Officials Sent Racist E-Mails, Jokes About Rev. Jesse Jackson

2008_5_14.jacksonjr.jpgRev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. and Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. filed FOIA requests following reports that high-ranking Secret Service agents circulated racist e-mails, one of which joked about the elder Jackson's assassination.

The ten e-mails, some of which contain slurs and porn, were uncovered as part of a discrimination case ten black Secret Service agents are bringing against the organization. According to the New York Times,

A March 3, 2003, message describing Mr. Jackson as the "Righteous Reverend" was passed among several Secret Service supervisors. The message, about a missile striking an airplane in which Mr. Jackson and his wife were traveling, concludes, it "certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident either."

Representative Jackson told CBS 2 that he has "a lot less confidence in the Secret Service" now, and that the e-mails show "there's a problem at the highest ranks of the Unites States Secret Service that deserves all of our attention." [NYT, CBS 2]

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I know that this is a serious issue and it should be investigated, but is this really the issue for Jr.?

Haven't heard Jr. say any thing about the Mortgage default crisis in Illinois or the fact that children going to bed hungry is on the rise in America. And honestly it sounds kinda petty for a major human rights leader, i.e The Righteous Reverend to spend time FOIAing the Secret Service. Oh that's right children are not killing each other on our streets any more and the genocide in Darfur has been replaced by peace, so yea got to it Jesse.


That's a red herring. You're effectively saying that any time spent by Jesse Jackson doing something other than advocating against violence or poverty shows that he doesn't care about those subjects.

"Man, I heard Jesse Jackson sent his burger back last night because it was undercooked. Doesn't he know people are DYING in Darfur?"

Olly, my point is that Jesse Jackson dosen't eat at Burger King any more because he's too rich.

I was trying to be nice about Olly, but o.k. try this on for sale Jesse Jackson is a poverty pimp. He is only for it if its gonna make him some money.

The only reason the Jacksons want this huge FOIA dump is that Obama has sucked up all the action as a black leader.

As the saying goes: "The most dangerous place on Earth is between Jesse Jackson [Sr.] & a TV camera"

I saw the e-mails circulated by the Secret Service (they are posted on Slate). I understand their concern, but really? Losing confidence in the Secret Service? These are stupid jokes. Not details of an assassination plot. I have seen every one of those emails, in various forms, substituting "Jesse Jackson" with "George Bush" or "Bill Clinton" or [insert the evil politician here]. They are nothing new. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if one landed in JJ Jr's box from Blago about Madigan. I would imagine most people have seen that joke in their inbox one time or another, and have likely laughed and forwarded it on.

I am not saying that it's OK that these were passed on...but read the e-mails. They are stupid, and people are stupid for passing them on--especially in the position they are in, under intense scrutiny--but really, this was a stupid joke chain e-mail. To think that it is a serious assassination plot is pretty silly on the part of the Jacksons.

The racist emails are also stupid to pass on, and I would never pass them on, but again, people get chain emails about dumb blondes, white trash, gays, blacks, emails mocking [insert religion/nationality here], the Krispy Kreme pin-up calendar (disgusting), emails reminding people that all Muslims are bad because they are resposible for 9/11 (Idiotic). It was a poor choice to forward these e-mails on, but again--let's look at this for what they were. Stupid chain e-mails.

The lesson that should be learned here: your e-mail is monitored. People are watching. Don't be an idiot.

Let's see here...JJJ can't exactly force the media to report on anything, but his press release section shows:

-Improvements in Food Stamp and WIC programs and expansion of the Summer Food Program to ensure that more low income kids get a couple of meals a day when school is out.

-$6.5 million for housing and transit improvements in the 2nd Congressional District.

-Voting for the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 to provide an improvement in financial aid for low income people.

There's more, but I don't have the time. Try spinning through the Congressman's website before complaining he isn't doing anything. It takes 5 minutes.

Go take your point and shove it I_h8_toyota_and_BT

Yea its a good point, but its not beer, so you can't drink it! he he

I'll be back!

Spook, why are you wasting your time posting here when children are starving?

Spook, why are you wasting your time reminding all of us that you are from New York, and that the Red-Eye is trash, when children are starving?!?

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