From USA Today:
A man caught on video verbally berating a security guard and yelling racial slurs outside a Social Security office in an Atlanta suburb has been arrested, police say. …
Robert Burke, 65, was identified as the man at the center of a viral video showing him being escorted from the Social Security office as he threatened to physically harm the security guard. …
Burke is heard telling the security guard to "take a shot (expletive)" and saying he would "beat the (expletive)" out of him.
"I'm a (expletive) citizen," Burke continues, and then he refers to the security guard, who is Black, using a racial slur repeatedly.
As he walks into the parking lot, he yells back to the guard "What are you going to do, it's free speech" before continuing to use expletives and slurs. …
While this may have been the most explosive encounter, employees of the Social Security office told police Burke had been a problem before and had caused previous disturbances at that location. …
Are you sure it wasn’t Stephen Miller?
ReplyDeleteHAHA! Sounds about right for the ghoul.
DeleteEconomic anxiety and longer wait times makes for a volatile situation in an understaffed SSA workforce.
ReplyDeleteNot a huge deal at all. Let him reasonably blow off some steam; have you seen how long the wait times are these days? Then the guard should ask him how we can help him and if his problem was solved. His anger would turn into gratitude.
ReplyDeleteDoes this fall in the “reasonable” category?
DeleteBurke is heard telling the security guard to "take a shot (expletive)" and saying he would "beat the (expletive)" out of him.
Threatening a federal employee, even off-duty, is a serious federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 115, punishable by fines and imprisonment, because it aims to impede or retaliate against their official duties, potentially including family members. Penalties increase with the severity of the threat, especially if weapons or bodily injury are involved, and apply if the threat makes a reasonable person fear for the official's safety.
DeleteKey Legal Statutes & Concepts
18 U.S.C. § 115 (Influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a Federal official): This is the primary law, criminalizing threats, assaults, or murders against federal officials or their family members to impede their work or retaliate against them.
"True Threat": Courts determine if a threat is credible, meaning a reasonable recipient would interpret it as a serious expression of intent to harm, regardless of the speaker's subjective intent.
Scope: Applies to various federal employees, law enforcement, judges, and their immediate families.
Penalties & Consequences
Fines & Imprisonment: Can range from a fine and up to 5 years for a general threat, to more significant time if it involves assault or the use of a deadly weapon.
Job-Related Issues: For the employee, such threats often trigger workplace violence protocols, leave (like weather & safety leave), and safety plans, as per the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidelines.
This next level trolling. Nice job but this is BS if you read the article. Guy has caused problems before.
DeleteI‘ll say what we’re all thinking: pretty obvious which candidate this guy voted for in the last presidential election.
ReplyDelete"Robert Burke, 65..."
ReplyDeleteI bet he missed his IEP.
SSA employees get incoming from management and the public. It is very satisfying job since one is helping the public but it comes at a high cost. One’s health deteriorates and the question is asked if the job is worth it.
ReplyDeleteA normal day in most field offices.
ReplyDeleteIn other news, dog bites man.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if management at this office took a few minutes from their hour long “ meeting” to restrict access to this individual.
ReplyDeleteEmployees of the Social Security office told police Burke had been a problem before and had caused previous disturbances at that location.
I wonder if the manager wrote a report and contacted the proper authorities or did he go back to his monthly report clear stats.
ReplyDeleteWhy was Robert Burke given a free pass? Isn’t it against the law to threaten a federal employee?
ReplyDeleteAs he walks into the parking lot, he yells back to the guard "What are you going to do, it's free speech" before continuing to use expletives and slurs.
It says right in the first sentence that he was arrested. Do you really think that amounts to a free pass, or did you just not read the post/article before spouting off?
DeleteWhy was Burke not arrested at the scene? He threatened a federal employee. What makes matters worse is that he’s a repeat offender.
DeleteBurke is heard telling the security guard to "take a shot (expletive)" and saying he would "beat the (expletive)" out of him.
Does the rule of law apply these days?
DeleteYes, a normal day and this gentleman is well known to everyone in tge office
ReplyDelete