A human prop used to make a political point is shown to be a little too human:
In his daily press briefing Thursday afternoon, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the White House would have never invited Leslie Macko to pose with President Obama had they known about her criminal past.
"Had that type of information been made available," said Gibbs. "She would not have participated in the event here."
Macko, a Charlottesville resident, stood next to President Obama as his example of the need to extend jobless benefits.
"We need to extend unemployment compensation benefits for women like Leslie Macko, who lost her job at a fitness center last year, and has been looking for work ever since. Because she's eligible for only a few more weeks of unemployment, she's doing what she never thought she'd have to do. Not at this point, anyway. She's turning to her father for financial support," Obama said in his speech at the White House on July 19th.
Macko was once employed at ACAC Fitness and Wellness Center in the Albemarle Square Shopping Center. However, in April 2009, a month after being found guilty of prescription drug fraud, she lost her job as an aesthetician in the spa at ACAC.
ACAC CEO Greg Wells told the Newsplex that Macko was not terminated nor discharged because of any illegal activity, but Wells would not comment on the condition of her termination.
CBS19 also learned Thursday that Macko has had more than one run-in with the law. In June of 2007, Macko was charged with grand larceny. The charge was reduced in court to petit larceny, and she was sentenced to two years probation.
Press Secretary Gibbs was also asked if the White House performed a background check on Macko before her appearance with the President.
"I don't know the specifics," Gibbs said. 'But it's safe to say, had we known [about the charges against her] she wouldn't have been here."
There's a lesson here folks.
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Comments (23)
Gibbs is a genius. He's jus... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Upset Old Guy | July 30, 2010 7:01 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Gibbs is a genius. He's just identified the theme for Obama's run for a second term, "I don't know the specifics, but it's safe to say, had we known..."
Sleep well tonight Democrats, your White House Press Secretary is on the job.
1. Posted by Upset Old Guy | July 30, 2010 7:01 AM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 07:01
2. Posted by Oyster | July 30, 2010 8:15 AM | Score: 4 (6 votes cast)
"Had we known....."
Lame.
2. Posted by Oyster | July 30, 2010 8:15 AM |
Score: 4 (6 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 08:15
3. Posted by 914 | July 30, 2010 8:31 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
"Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the White House would have never invited Leslie Macko to pose with President Obama had they known about her criminal past."
Yeah right.
Look on the bright side Barry. You fired Shirley and she forgave you ( in lieu of a book deal and beer summitt ) Macco is a poster child for your administation Barry.
Unemployed criminal's. Which is what your komrade's will be this November.
3. Posted by 914 | July 30, 2010 8:31 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 08:31
4. Posted by John S | July 30, 2010 8:42 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Even McDonalds does criminal background checks for their 16-year old fry cooks. Can the Secret Service be that incompetent? I guess this puts to rest which political party gets the support of convicted felons.
4. Posted by John S | July 30, 2010 8:42 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 08:42
5. Posted by 914 | July 30, 2010 8:56 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
"White House vetting proves once again to be flawed"
It's not a flaw it's their M.O.
5. Posted by 914 | July 30, 2010 8:56 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 08:56
6. Posted by Clancy | July 30, 2010 9:09 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
How did she get picked? Do they just pick names out of a hat? Surely, someone, somewhere, knew her at some point and recommended her...
The levels of incompetence in that house are mind-bending.
Here's a thought - perhaps she is Lee Ward.
6. Posted by Clancy | July 30, 2010 9:09 AM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 09:09
7. Posted by MunDane68 | July 30, 2010 9:10 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
There is something so strange about these criminal props the White House keeps trotting out. As someone said up above, even McD's checks out its sixteen year old employees. There is no way something like that got missed. Instead, one has to wonder if this is some last minute addition, someone well dressed coming to apply for for the civil service exams maybe and pulled out of line by one of the 'handlers'.
7. Posted by MunDane68 | July 30, 2010 9:10 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 09:10
8. Posted by hermie | July 30, 2010 9:13 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Political expediency outweighs everything, even background checks and other security measures. The Won wants his photo op. A little criminal behavior has never been a barrier to get inside this Administration.
8. Posted by hermie | July 30, 2010 9:13 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 09:13
9. Posted by Houston | July 30, 2010 9:27 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
I cannot imagine The Secret Service did NOT do a background check on her before she was with the President.
No. Way.
9. Posted by Houston | July 30, 2010 9:27 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 09:27
10. Posted by TexBob | July 30, 2010 9:32 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Racist Libtard = No background check needed.
10. Posted by TexBob | July 30, 2010 9:32 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 09:32
11. Posted by Maddox | July 30, 2010 9:40 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Crooks, communists.....what's one more anyway?
11. Posted by Maddox | July 30, 2010 9:40 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 09:40
12. Posted by Roy | July 30, 2010 9:53 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Shame on Karl Rove for slipping her name in the WH hat. Someone needs to take his office keys away.
12. Posted by Roy | July 30, 2010 9:53 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 09:53
13. Posted by John | July 30, 2010 10:02 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
I am no fan of Obama, but he is our president, I would not want any harm to come to him, I'm concerned at the lack of security. I fear someday one of these people they let close to him with out proper vetting will try to kill him. No matter how much we might disagree with him we should all be concerned that the secruity systems seem to have holes and our president seems to be poorly served and possibly endangered. Remember the party crashers, now this.
13. Posted by John | July 30, 2010 10:02 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 10:02
14. Posted by hermie | July 30, 2010 10:14 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
It appears that Axelrod and the political office has complete authority; even overruling the Secret Service. Remember the party crashers? Lessons never learned.
14. Posted by hermie | July 30, 2010 10:14 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 10:14
15. Posted by OregonMuse | July 30, 2010 10:28 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Heh. I wonder what the duties of an "aesthetician" are. Sounds like one of those "nice work if you can get it" type jobs.
15. Posted by OregonMuse | July 30, 2010 10:28 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 10:28
16. Posted by Bill Fabrizio | July 30, 2010 10:34 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Why would a White House which only exists because of a lack of MSM vetting during the 2008 presidential campaign suddenly become a fan of vetting illegality?
16. Posted by Bill Fabrizio | July 30, 2010 10:34 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 10:34
17. Posted by Wayne | July 30, 2010 11:33 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
How did this information get out? The MSM has Obama's back. It must have been the evil Fox news or one of those evil bloggers.
17. Posted by Wayne | July 30, 2010 11:33 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 11:33
18. Posted by GarandFan | July 30, 2010 12:01 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Bestest administration, evah!
18. Posted by GarandFan | July 30, 2010 12:01 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 12:01
19. Posted by Tsar Nicholas II | July 30, 2010 12:29 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Well, since basic Democrat election strategy is to gain the votes of criminals and other miscreants can this fiasco really be considered all that surprising?
19. Posted by Tsar Nicholas II | July 30, 2010 12:29 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 12:29
20. Posted by irongrampa | July 30, 2010 12:55 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Not sure why the outrage here, she merely seems to be in accord with the rest of this admin. Are we sure the vetting WAS wrong?
20. Posted by irongrampa | July 30, 2010 12:55 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 12:55
21. Posted by 914 | July 30, 2010 2:22 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
The hate Whitey house is not flawed. They just need a little affirmative community action and understanding.
21. Posted by 914 | July 30, 2010 2:22 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 14:22
22. Posted by Burt | July 30, 2010 3:45 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Perhaps she is just 'some gal in the neighborhood' and not a personal friend.
22. Posted by Burt | July 30, 2010 3:45 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2010 15:45
23. Posted by SShiell | July 31, 2010 10:49 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
You are assuming the White House even cares about Vetting. The only vetting they care about is:
1) She is our kind of people.
2) She makes for a good foto-opportunity.
3) Who cares what you people think anyway!
23. Posted by SShiell | July 31, 2010 10:49 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 31, 2010 10:49