Expose about the Secret Service

Ronald Kessler, NY Times best-selling author, is asking for input now for a book he is writing about the US Secret Service. To contact Mr. Kessler, go to his site http://www.ronaldkessler.com

Ronald Kessler, NY Times best-selling author, is asking for input now for a book he is writing about the US Secret Service. To contact Mr. Kessler, go to his site http://www.ronaldkessler.com



To my knowledge not a single member of AFAUSSS has cooperated with Mr. Kessler. Mr. Kessler somehow obtained a copy of the membership directory of AFAUSSS (not for public dissemination) and contacted every member via phone seeking their assistance in writing his book. Mr. Kessler refuses to state how he obtained the membership list. Members are upset with Mr. Kessler for various reasons including but not limited to the fact that he has contacted members via their non-published phone numbers. I strongly urge members of AFAUSSS and current members of USSS not to cooperate with Mr. Kessler in his money making project. Just say 'NO WAY' if he contacts you.

Ronald Kessler, NY Times best-selling author, is asking for input now for a book he is writing about the US Secret Service. To contact Mr. Kessler, go to his site http://www.ronaldkessler.com



To my knowledge not a single member of AFAUSSS has cooperated with Mr. Kessler. Mr. Kessler somehow obtained a copy of the membership directory of AFAUSSS (not for public dissemination) and contacted every member via phone seeking their assistance in writing his book. Mr. Kessler refuses to state how he obtained the membership list. Members are upset with Mr. Kessler for various reasons including but not limited to the fact that he has contacted members via their non-published phone numbers. I strongly urge members of AFAUSSS and current members of USSS not to cooperate with Mr. Kessler in his money making project. Just say 'NO WAY' if he contacts you.

Just to keep it somewhat fair and balanced, let's point out that there are two separate issues here.

One is whether or not Mr. Kessler is being or should be cooperated with in regard to gathering material for his proposed book about the Secret Service. The fact is that USSS Headquarters IS cooperating with him and has extended all appropriate courtesies to him, including an opportunity to visit the James J. Rowley Training Center and to conduct interviews with active duty USSS employees. There has been no official pronouncement on the part of the USSS that Mr. Kessler should not have the cooperation of any active or retired Secret Service employees in the preparation of his book. Nor is there any indication that the book is intended to be some sort of "expose" of the Service. There is nothing in these facts which would justify the anonymous poster "No Way" in his edict that no one, active or retired, should cooperate with Mr. Kessler. Further, on the official Retired Agent Association message board there has been an indication from a former employee that he is inclined to provide material to Mr. Kessler.

The offense that the Association holds against Mr. Kessler is his use of the confidential membership list of association members which contains their addresses and telephone numbers. The rules of the association forbid the use of the list for any non-personal purpose to include canvassing the membership for business reasons. But even then it is less the offense of Mr. Kessler, who is not bound by the rules of the association, than it is of the person who gave him the confidential list. The list should only be in the hands of association members and very probably also in the hands of active duty employees in the office of Public Affairs, the office cooperating with Mr. Kessler in gathering information for his book.

The reason that Mr. Kessler declines to disclose the source of his membership list is clear. As a rule writers do not disclose their sources when the information or the source is controversal. He is protecting his source, just as other writers in other times protected Deep Throat and the source of the Pentagon Papers. (An interesting comparison perhaps, since I consider both of those people and their actions to be totally reprehensible.) But, this is what writers do. In this case he knows that his source would be subject to vicious condemnation if identified. He also knows that if he gave up his source no other source for any information he wanted to include in his book would be forthcoming.

When Mr. Kessler contacted me I was not rude to him, nor did I provide him with any information. My decision was based on several factors, not just upon the fact that he had obtained my name and telephone number through the membership directory. Every current or former USSS employee should make his own decision regarding cooperating with Mr. Kessler based upon his own personal reasons. The poster "No Way" mentions that the book is a money making project. That by itself does not appear to be any kind of justification for not cooperating.

What does the leadership of the Association propose to do if we learn that Mr. Kessler was given a copy of the membership directory by a high official in the USSS Office of Public Affairs?

[quote=Kessler]Ronald Kessler, NY Times best-selling author, is asking for input now for a book he is writing about the US Secret Service. To contact Mr. Kessler, go to his site http://www.ronaldkessler.com



To my knowledge not a single member of AFAUSSS has cooperated with Mr. Kessler. Mr. Kessler somehow obtained a copy of the membership directory of AFAUSSS (not for public dissemination) and contacted every member via phone seeking their assistance in writing his book. Mr. Kessler refuses to state how he obtained the membership list. Members are upset with Mr. Kessler for various reasons including but not limited to the fact that he has contacted members via their non-published phone numbers. I strongly urge members of AFAUSSS and current members of USSS not to cooperate with Mr. Kessler in his money making project. Just say 'NO WAY' if he contacts you.

Just to keep it somewhat fair and balanced, let's point out that there are two separate issues here.

One is whether or not Mr. Kessler is being or should be cooperated with in regard to gathering material for his proposed book about the Secret Service. The fact is that USSS Headquarters IS cooperating with him and has extended all appropriate courtesies to him, including an opportunity to visit the James J. Rowley Training Center and to conduct interviews with active duty USSS employees. There has been no official pronouncement on the part of the USSS that Mr. Kessler should not have the cooperation of any active or retired Secret Service employees in the preparation of his book. Nor is there any indication that the book is intended to be some sort of "expose" of the Service. There is nothing in these facts which would justify the anonymous poster "No Way" in his edict that no one, active or retired, should cooperate with Mr. Kessler. Further, on the official Retired Agent Association message board there has been an indication from a former employee that he is inclined to provide material to Mr. Kessler.

The offense that the Association holds against Mr. Kessler is his use of the confidential membership list of association members which contains their addresses and telephone numbers. The rules of the association forbid the use of the list for any non-personal purpose to include canvassing the membership for business reasons. But even then it is less the offense of Mr. Kessler, who is not bound by the rules of the association, than it is of the person who gave him the confidential list. The list should only be in the hands of association members and very probably also in the hands of active duty employees in the office of Public Affairs, the office cooperating with Mr. Kessler in gathering information for his book.

The reason that Mr. Kessler declines to disclose the source of his membership list is clear. As a rule writers do not disclose their sources when the information or the source is controversal. He is protecting his source, just as other writers in other times protected Deep Throat and the source of the Pentagon Papers. (An interesting comparison perhaps, since I consider both of those people and their actions to be totally reprehensible.) But, this is what writers do. In this case he knows that his source would be subject to vicious condemnation if identified. He also knows that if he gave up his source no other source for any information he wanted to include in his book would be forthcoming.

When Mr. Kessler contacted me I was not rude to him, nor did I provide him with any information. My decision was based on several factors, not just upon the fact that he had obtained my name and telephone number through the membership directory. Every current or former USSS employee should make his own decision regarding cooperating with Mr. Kessler based upon his own personal reasons. The poster "No Way" mentions that the book is a money making project. That by itself does not appear to be any kind of justification for not cooperating.

What does the leadership of the Association propose to do if we learn that Mr. Kessler was given a copy of the membership directory by a high official in the USSS Office of Public Affairs?[/quote:1ah12m0b]

Fair and Balanced please let me point out several facts. #1 Mr. Kessler's posting on this forum was captioned by him as "Expose about the Secret Service"; his words not mine. #2 Please refresh my memory of the posting by a AFAUSSS member on Oldstar who indicated he might cooperate with Mr. Kessler; I cannot recall such a posting. #3 You will certainly agree that 99.9% of the postings regarding contact by Mr. Kessler by members of AFAUSSS on Oldstar indicate that few, if any members intend to cooperate with him. #4 I have not observed any official announcement by USSS which indicated that retired personneld should cooperate with Mr. Kessler and if they did so, retired personnel would not be bound by such a request. I do not know if such a request was made by Hdqtrs to active USSS personnel. I agree with you that each individual should make up his own mind how to handle this matter. It has been my experience that USSS agents both active and retired in the past have not been cooperative in projects of this nature. I disagree with you that the fact Mr. Kessler's project is a money making effort to benefit him has nothing to do with a decision to cooperate with him. If his purpose had some chartiable purpose my feelings might be different.

Fair and Balanced please let me point out several facts. #1 Mr. Kessler's posting on this forum was captioned by him as "Expose about the Secret Service"; his words not mine. #2 Please refresh my memory of the posting by a AFAUSSS member on Oldstar who indicated he might cooperate with Mr. Kessler; I cannot recall such a posting. #3 You will certainly agree that 99.9% of the postings regarding contact by Mr. Kessler by members of AFAUSSS on Oldstar indicate that few, if any members intend to cooperate with him. #4 I have not observed any official announcement by USSS which indicated that retired personneld should cooperate with Mr. Kessler and if they did so, retired personnel would not be bound by such a request. I do not know if such a request was made by Hdqtrs to active USSS personnel. I agree with you that each individual should make up his own mind how to handle this matter. It has been my experience that USSS agents both active and retired in the past have not been cooperative in projects of this nature. I disagree with you that the fact Mr. Kessler's project is a money making effort to benefit him has nothing to do with a decision to cooperate with him. If his purpose had some chartiable purpose my feelings might be different.

Let's take it point by point, using your numbers.

#1 There is no basis for believing that Mr. Kessler made the original post with the title Expose of the Secret Service. It was made by an anonymous unregistered poster. Note, in fact, that the post doesn't say "I" am writing a book, but that "he" is writing a book and it doesn't say "to contact me," but says "to contact him." So I don't believe the term "expose" is in fact his words.

#2 I won't identify the individual who indicated a leaning toward providing Mr. Kessler with anacdotes for his book other than to say he was a former agent who went to another agency and was subsequently disappointed when he was turned down for re-employment when he applied to return to the Service. He posted a message about his disappointment on both the former agent message board and on the leoaffairs board. You might need to review the former agent message board again.

#3 I certainly agree that of those members who have reported on the message board that they were contacted by Mr. Kessler virtually all have stated they would not cooperate with him in providing material for his book. However, the number of such posts represents a very miniscule percentage of the membership and an even smaller number of the total number of retired employees of the USSS, thousands of whom are not members of the former agents association.

#4 I did not indicate in my post that Headquarters had taken any position regarding whether any current or former employees of the agency should or should not cooperate with Mr. Kessler in writing his book. Since I didn't, I see no reason for you to have brought it up.

#5 You don't have a number 5, but you did go on to say that you might view the proposed book by Mr. Kessler differently if he would not be making money from his book. Does this mean you condemned the publishing of the following books, among others, which were undoubtedly intended to make money for the authors?

* Standing Next to History: An Agent's Life Inside the Secret Service by Joseph Petro and Jeffrey Robinson

* To Be a U.S. Secret Service Agent by Henry Holden

* Secret Service Agent And Careers in Federal Protection (Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Careers) by Gerry Souter

* Protecting the president : the inside story of a secret service agent / by Dennis V.N. McCarthy with Philip W. Smith by Dennis V. N. McCarthy

* The Secret Service: The Hidden History of an Engimatic Agency by Philip H. Melanson

* Our United States secret service;: How the agents of the Treasury department carry on war against counterfeiters in their protection of the nation's currency by Irving Crump

* American Secret Service Agent by Don Wilkie and Mark Lee Luther

* STARLING OF THE WHITE HOUSE THE STORY OF THE SECRET SERVICE AGENT WHO GUARDED PRESIDENTS FROM WILSON TO FDR by Thomas and Starling, Col. Edmund W. Sugrue

* Secret Service Agents: Life Protecting the President (Extreme Careers) by David Seidman

* Dar's Story, Memoirs of a Secret Service Agent by Darwin Horn

* To Be a U.S. Secret Service Agent by Henry Holden

* What Does a Secret Service Agent Do? by W. Hyde

* American Gunfight: The Plot to Kill Harry Truman--and the Shoot-out that Stopped It by Stephen Hunter (Contains interviews with Floyd Boring, Vince Mroz, and others.)

* Riding with Reagan by John Barietta

* 20 Years in the Secret Service; My Life With Five Presidents by Rufus W. Youngblood

* Secret Service chief, by Urbanus Edmund Baughman

* The Story of the Secret Service by Harry Edward Neal. Familiar name?

* The Secret Service Story by Michael Dorman

* There are lots more. You get the idea. But let's wind it up with a movie.
In the Line of Fire (Special Edition) DVD ~ Clint Eastwood
The list author says:
"Great Secret Service sponsored movie---Jerry Parr, Jack Warner, Bob Snow, and several others were technical consultants. This movie is loosely based off Clint Hill's story. The bonus material is great---former agents Bob Snow, Jerry Parr, Hubert Bell, Carl Meyer, and others are interviewed."

Actually, I think most agents are glad that those who went before us wrote books, coauthored books or cooperated with authors in writing books about the Secret Service. It has helped give us our sense of history. It is immaterial that the technical consultants for the movies about the Service were paid for their services. It was their desire to see that the movie was done right. It is equally immaterial that an author might write a book about the Service with a profit motive in mind. The important thing is that he get the facts right.

None of the foregoing changes the fact that my personal decision was not to provide any information. It's just an effort to be fair and balanced with regard to the issues regarding Mr. Kessler, who I do not know.

Fair and Balanced,

Nothing fair and balanced with your...point by point by point by point by point by point....at all.
Kessler is writing a book about the Secret Service which is nothing new. Kessler is doing his job and if a former or current agent agrees to converse and or share information with him it's their choice. As usual, you can always be counted on to add your two cents with volumes of paragraphs leaving the reader just shaking his head with amusement. Are you concerned that someone might tell Mr. Kessler a "SECRET"....get real.

Fair and Balanced

I will not belabor this discussion other than to make five additional points. #1 Go to Kessler's website and you will find he always refers to himself in the third person leaving no doubt in my mind that he is the original poster of the this thread on the forum. #2 Over half of the books you listed were authored by agents or former agents of the USSS which in my mind puts them in a different category than books authored by "outsiders".
#3 I have no problems regarding the movie "In the Line of Fire", in fact I enjoyed the movie and am happy that former agents assisted in getting the facts as close as possible to the truth. #4 Again I reiterate if a current or former agent wants to cooperate with Mr. Kessler that is their right and they are free to do so. #5 The one member you indicated may cooperate with Mr. Kessler certainly has an axe to grind with the USSS based on his own postings on this forum and Oldstar due to the Service not re-hiring him.

Fair and Balanced

I will not belabor this discussion other than to make five additional points. #1 Go to Kessler's website and you will find he always refers to himself in the third person leaving no doubt in my mind that he is the original poster of the this thread on the forum. #2 Over half of the books you listed were authored by agents or former agents of the USSS which in my mind puts them in a different category than books authored by "outsiders".
#3 I have no problems regarding the movie "In the Line of Fire", in fact I enjoyed the movie and am happy that former agents assisted in getting the facts as close as possible to the truth. #4 Again I reiterate if a current or former agent wants to cooperate with Mr. Kessler that is their right and they are free to do so. #5 The one member you indicated may cooperate with Mr. Kessler certainly has an axe to grind with the USSS based on his own postings on this forum and Oldstar due to the Service not re-hiring him.

We are not far apart in our conclusions - just in how we got there.

I still don't believe a professional writer would commit such a gaffe as to label his impending book, for which he wanted cooperation from former employees, as an "expose."

Although half the books listed were written by former employees, the other half weren't. And they all were written with a profit motive, which you gave as a reason for not supporting Mr. Kessler's effort.

I'm not sure why you think it is OK for the former agents to have cooperated in the production of In The Line of Fire but it is not OK for former agents to cooperate in the production of a book in which accuracy is just as important as it was for the movie. Was it just because you liked the movie? You might like the book.

The former agent, who you now concede did indicate an inclination to cooperate with Mr. Kessler, is probably one of many who are unhappy with the Service. He is likely joined not only by the hundreds of agents who have transferred from USSS to other federal agencies in the last several years because of harsh working conditions and perceptions of management disregard for their concerns but also by retired agents extending even further back to the era when it seemed that retiring in anger and disgust was very commonplace.

We continue to agree that cooperation with Mr. Kessler is an individual decision and my personal decision continues to be that I won't be helping him. That does not translate into advice for anyone else about what they should do.

Fair and Balanced re your 1/1/09 posting

With regard to the former agent"s possibly cooperating with Mr. Kessler; this was suggested by you in your initial posting. I did not nor do i now concede that he indicated an inclination to coooperate with Mr. Kessler. I merely offered a reason why he might be inclined to do so. As a matter of fact if you go back and read his postings on Oldstar and this forum, no where does he even mention Mr. Kessler. I believe several of his postings were dated prior to lthe subject of Mr. Kessler even appearing on Oldstar and they certainly pre-date this thread. Regarding Mr. Kessler, I merely offered my own opinion as to whether USSS personnel should cooperate with him. You obviously don't agree with that opinion and that is fine, but on the other hand you can't look into the minds of "hundreds of agents who transferred from USSS to other federal agencies" and others besides the "miniscule percentage of the membership and even smaller number of the total retired employees of the USSS and thousands of whom are not members of FAA". you mention in your post and determine their opinion regarding this matter. I stand behind my statement that 99.9 % of the membership of FAA that stated their opinion that they will not cooperate with Mr. Kessler.

Call it a day and look forward to reading Mr. Kessler's new book. Unfortunately, I am sure "Fair and Balanced" will find the need to post more points.

Fair and Balanced re your 1/1/09 posting

With regard to the former agent"s possibly cooperating with Mr. Kessler; this was suggested by you in your initial posting. I did not nor do i now concede that he indicated an inclination to coooperate with Mr. Kessler. I merely offered a reason why he might be inclined to do so. As a matter of fact if you go back and read his postings on Oldstar and this forum, no where does he even mention Mr. Kessler. I believe several of his postings were dated prior to lthe subject of Mr. Kessler even appearing on Oldstar and they certainly pre-date this thread. Regarding Mr. Kessler, I merely offered my own opinion as to whether USSS personnel should cooperate with him. You obviously don't agree with that opinion and that is fine, but on the other hand you can't look into the minds of "hundreds of agents who transferred from USSS to other federal agencies" and others besides the "miniscule percentage of the membership and even smaller number of the total retired employees of the USSS and thousands of whom are not members of FAA". you mention in your post and determine their opinion regarding this matter. I stand behind my statement that 99.9 % of the membership of FAA that stated their opinion that they will not cooperate with Mr. Kessler.

Of course he mentions Mr. Kessler. Most specifically he calls him by name in his message numbered 4265, titled Re:Ronald Kessler - author.

Actually, if you read his message number 4265 on the association message board you will see he says that a former agent has advised him that he called the Office of Public Affairs and that they encouraged him to cooperate with Mr. Kessler in any way possible as long as he did not discuss protective methods. He also says that MANY (his emphasis) former agents, both association members and non-members are working with Mr. Kessler on the project. He also says he has not made up his mind about participating but then adds that he knows many interesting stories that would make for a great pro-USSS book. I see this, along with other positive statements he has made, as an inclination to cooperate.

I continue to see this issue as primarily one of the impropriety of Mr. Kessler having obtained a copy of our confidential membership list either from an association member or, more likely perhaps, from someone in the Office of Public Affairs. Has the Association BOD inquired of the AD Public Affairs regarding whether or not that office provided the list?

Ronald Kessler, NY Times best-selling author, is asking for input now for a book he is writing about the US Secret Service. To contact Mr. Kessler, go to his site http://www.ronaldkessler.com

Thanks for the site address.

He appears to be a highly reputable author with many excellent books to his credit. The down side may be that he apparently gives both the good and the bad about an organization so there may be some people who will be so anxious to cover up the bad (which we all know is there) that they will withhold giving him information about the good.

[quote="No Way #4":2d6581f6]Fair and Balanced re your 1/1/09 posting

With regard to the former agent"s possibly cooperating with Mr. Kessler; this was suggested by you in your initial posting. I did not nor do i now concede that he indicated an inclination to coooperate with Mr. Kessler. I merely offered a reason why he might be inclined to do so. As a matter of fact if you go back and read his postings on Oldstar and this forum, no where does he even mention Mr. Kessler. I believe several of his postings were dated prior to lthe subject of Mr. Kessler even appearing on Oldstar and they certainly pre-date this thread. Regarding Mr. Kessler, I merely offered my own opinion as to whether USSS personnel should cooperate with him. You obviously don't agree with that opinion and that is fine, but on the other hand you can't look into the minds of "hundreds of agents who transferred from USSS to other federal agencies" and others besides the "miniscule percentage of the membership and even smaller number of the total retired employees of the USSS and thousands of whom are not members of FAA". you mention in your post and determine their opinion regarding this matter. I stand behind my statement that 99.9 % of the membership of FAA that stated their opinion that they will not cooperate with Mr. Kessler.

Of course he mentions Mr. Kessler. Most specifically he calls him by name in his message numbered 4265, titled Re:Ronald Kessler - author.

Actually, if you read his message number 4265 on the association message board you will see he says that a former agent has advised him that he called the Office of Public Affairs and that they encouraged him to cooperate with Mr. Kessler in any way possible as long as he did not discuss protective methods. He also says that MANY (his emphasis) former agents, both association members and non-members are working with Mr. Kessler on the project. He also says he has not made up his mind about participating but then adds that he knows many interesting stories that would make for a great pro-USSS book. I see this, along with other positive statements he has made, as an inclination to cooperate.

I continue to see this issue as primarily one of the impropriety of Mr. Kessler having obtained a copy of our confidential membership list either from an association member or, more likely perhaps, from someone in the Office of Public Affairs. Has the Association BOD inquired of the AD Public Affairs regarding whether or not that office provided the list?[/quote:2d6581f6]

GOOD LUCK!

[quote="Fair and Balanced":10ncjs7o]
I continue to see this issue as primarily one of the impropriety of Mr. Kessler having obtained a copy of our confidential membership list either from an association member or, more likely perhaps, from someone in the Office of Public Affairs. Has the Association BOD inquired of the AD Public Affairs regarding whether or not that office provided the list?

GOOD LUCK![/quote:10ncjs7o]

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