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Secret Service mistakenly requests racial background of photojournalists
Secret Service mistakenly requests racial background of photojournalists
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By Nia-Malika Henderson October 6 at 5:34 PM
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An agent working on a Wisconsin event where first lady Michelle Obama will be present told a staffer for the gubernatorial campaign of Mary Burke (D) that photojournalists would need to provide several pieces of information for security checks and clearance -- including information about the journalists' racial background. The Secret Service now says that was a mistake.
Here is the full e-mail from the Burke campaign, which is based on information provided by the Secret Service.
From: Burke for Wisconsin Press <press@burkeforwisconsin.com>
Date: October 5, 2014 at 3:59:00 PM CDT
Subject: URGENT: Request for Photographer Vitals
Greetings,
You are receiving this email because you or someone at your outlet has requested press credentials for a still photographer.
Please understand that press space will be very limited on Tuesday, but we are collecting vitals on photographers who would like to be able to access the cut shot and ropeline during the event.
If you are interested in being considered for access, please must submit the following information for one photographer from your outlet.
Full name:
Social security number:
Sex:
Race:
We will do what we can to accommodate all outlets, but we cannot make any guarantees at this time.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Date: October 5, 2014 at 3:59:00 PM CDT
Subject: URGENT: Request for Photographer Vitals
Greetings,
You are receiving this email because you or someone at your outlet has requested press credentials for a still photographer.
Please understand that press space will be very limited on Tuesday, but we are collecting vitals on photographers who would like to be able to access the cut shot and ropeline during the event.
If you are interested in being considered for access, please must submit the following information for one photographer from your outlet.
Full name:
Social security number:
Sex:
Race:
We will do what we can to accommodate all outlets, but we cannot make any guarantees at this time.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Now, this raises red flags for a few reasons. Information about race is rarely, if ever, asked for. It's also odd that there was no request made for date of birth, which is actually useful information when it comes to security clearance.
A Secret Service official said the inclusion of "race" on the e-mail resulted from a verbal error and that it should have been date of birth.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/10/06/secret-service-mistakenly-requests-racial-background-of-photojournalists/
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