Mike Causey

Feds As Targets: This Is Not a Drill

A year ago this month, a federal worker in Texas was killed for being in the wrong place (his office) at the wrong time. Last week two federal agents were murde...

Federal News Network Staff

February 22, 2011 4:00 am

3 min read

In the writing game they say that when you start quoting yourself you probably should have your ego downsized or start wearing a much larger hat. But surely they weren’t talking about me because…

A year ago today this column noted “lots of federal jobs require the people doing them – whether GS or SES, State Department or the Postal Inspection Service, DEA, FBI, ATF – to go into harm’s way. Just part of the job.”

That was true then and even more so today in the climate of government-bashing.

A year ago this month, a long-time IRS staffer, Vernon Hunter was killed when a domestic terrorist crashed a small airplane into an IRS office in Austin, Texas. That memory prompted an IRS worker to send the following:

“…As I read each story about what our government, mainly our Congress and other executives think of us, I can’t help but think of one man, one of our own, who gave his life in the line of duty, Vernon Hunter. Not because someone had a random mental illness, but because one man had such a hate for a government agency and its people, he flew his plane into an IRS building killing an innocent man.

“If you Google Vernon Hunter this day, you will only find stories from February of 2010. One man’s death at a terrorist’s hands is not as ‘exciting’ to the morning news as the deaths of hundreds or thousands such as 9/11, or Oklahoma City, but still, this forgotten man gave his life in the line of duty.

“As Congress and the President treat us like pawns in chess, I hope that they can stop for one moment, at some odd moment of clarity, and realize they are fueling the fire of hate. They should stop battling over trying to recover the money they squandered in bailouts, and realize, as they play their games, that human lives are involved here.

“We, at the IRS, will not forget Vernon Hunter.” Signed: Under the Bus

Last week, 24-year old deputy U.S. Marshal, Derek Hotsinpiller, was shot to death in Elkins, W.Va., when a suspected cocaine-dealer opened fire, killing Hotsinpiller and wounding deputies Alex Neville, and Fred Frederick.

The day before the West Virginia shooting, two Immigration and Customs Enforcement were ambushed while driving on a busy highway to Mexico City. Jaime Zapata, 32, was killed. A fellow agent, Victor Aila, was wounded.

Forget them?

No way!

And be careful out there!

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

Nearly Useless Factoid, the Soylent Green Edition
by Suzanne Kubota

From Shine on Yahoo! we learn of study underway at New York University ‘s Interactive Telecommunications Program which is examining the “issues of sustainability, health, ethics, food systems, and biotechnology” of human cheese.

MORE FROM FEDERAL NEWS RADIO

USPS, DHS, DoD contribute to ‘dire’ finances
When it comes to the federal budget, the GAO’s High Risk List and the deficit, Jeanette Franzel isn’t pulling any punches. “The condition of federal finances is really dire right now,” she said.

OPM, OMB urge more investment in senior execs
Members of the Senior Executive Service could have more training and development opportunities, according to a memo from the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Personnel Management.