kat
03-20-2004, 02:17 AM
(taken from here (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/3/19/22135/3823))
There are plenty of things a campaign must pay for, but the Bush campaign may be the first presidential campaign to employ a company that specializes in paramilitary protection. In reports filed today with the Federal Election Commission, the Bush campaign showed February receipts of $13.7 million, and cash on hand of $110 million (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=584&e=1&u=%3Cem%3Enm/20040319/pl_nm/campaign_bush_funds_ dc). Obviously much of that money will be spent on television advertising. But a quick look at Bush's FEC filing (http://herndon2.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00386987) shows something curious--they paid almost $200,000 to Vance International for "personnel services/equipment."
Vance International (http://www.vancesecurity.co m/index.cfm) may not be familiar to a lot of people, but they should be, because they are the Pinkertons (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carnegie/sfeature/mh_blue.html) of our era. Vance was founded and until recently run by Chuck Vance, a former Secret Service agent who at one time was married to Gerald Ford's daughter. Vance used his Secret Service background in security and investigation to specialize in providing security during labor disputes. From the strikes at Pittston Coal, to Caterpillar, to Detroit Newspapers, if there was violence on the picket (http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/1998/08/17/focus5.html) line of a high-profile strike, it was most likely provoked by the maladjusted ex-soldiers, angry cop wanna-be's, and CIA rejects who wear the jack-boots of Vance's Asset Protection Team (http://www.vancesecurity.co m/services/services_assetprot.c fm):
Professional and responsive asset protection services has made our Asset Protection Team (APT) the undisputed leader in the field of labor unrest and major event security since 1985. APT provides security personnel who are trained to protect people and property during potentially disruptive situations, such as strikes, union organizing drives, and plant closings. In addition, APT supplies seasoned professionals during special events and emergency situations, including traveling exhibits, conferences, demonstrations, fund-raising events, and man-made and natural disasters. Discipline and restraint characterize APT, whose operations pioneered the use of photo and video documentation. Our capabilities include business interruption contingency planning and consulting, security personnel and services (e.g., access control, critical area monitoring, crowd control and observation, photo documentation, and emergency response), logistics support, and pre- and post-crisis counseling. Here (http://www.vancesecurity.co m/services/MATRIX.PDF) are just a few capabilities that Vance believes set it apart from their competition:
Client choice of uniform style ranging from discreet, non-threatening attire to full riot gear
Full-time executive protection agents and investigators
Evidence technicians and coordinators to cross-index photos and videotape
35mm and video equipment; long-range and night vision lenses available
Pre- and post-incident counseling by forensic psychologist
Provoking picket line violenceAsset protection isn't Vance's only business. They provide executive protection, investigate current and prospective employees, and consult on security matters for corporations, governments and wealthy individuals around the world. (They've just opened an office in--you guessed it--Iraq.) But George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and their families and top aides already received protection from a pretty good outfit known as the Secret Service.
So, here's the question to the Bush campaign: What possible legitimate use do you have for a firm that specializes in high-tech surveillance, personal investigations, and paramilitary protection?
There are plenty of things a campaign must pay for, but the Bush campaign may be the first presidential campaign to employ a company that specializes in paramilitary protection. In reports filed today with the Federal Election Commission, the Bush campaign showed February receipts of $13.7 million, and cash on hand of $110 million (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=584&e=1&u=%3Cem%3Enm/20040319/pl_nm/campaign_bush_funds_ dc). Obviously much of that money will be spent on television advertising. But a quick look at Bush's FEC filing (http://herndon2.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00386987) shows something curious--they paid almost $200,000 to Vance International for "personnel services/equipment."
Vance International (http://www.vancesecurity.co m/index.cfm) may not be familiar to a lot of people, but they should be, because they are the Pinkertons (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/carnegie/sfeature/mh_blue.html) of our era. Vance was founded and until recently run by Chuck Vance, a former Secret Service agent who at one time was married to Gerald Ford's daughter. Vance used his Secret Service background in security and investigation to specialize in providing security during labor disputes. From the strikes at Pittston Coal, to Caterpillar, to Detroit Newspapers, if there was violence on the picket (http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/1998/08/17/focus5.html) line of a high-profile strike, it was most likely provoked by the maladjusted ex-soldiers, angry cop wanna-be's, and CIA rejects who wear the jack-boots of Vance's Asset Protection Team (http://www.vancesecurity.co m/services/services_assetprot.c fm):
Professional and responsive asset protection services has made our Asset Protection Team (APT) the undisputed leader in the field of labor unrest and major event security since 1985. APT provides security personnel who are trained to protect people and property during potentially disruptive situations, such as strikes, union organizing drives, and plant closings. In addition, APT supplies seasoned professionals during special events and emergency situations, including traveling exhibits, conferences, demonstrations, fund-raising events, and man-made and natural disasters. Discipline and restraint characterize APT, whose operations pioneered the use of photo and video documentation. Our capabilities include business interruption contingency planning and consulting, security personnel and services (e.g., access control, critical area monitoring, crowd control and observation, photo documentation, and emergency response), logistics support, and pre- and post-crisis counseling. Here (http://www.vancesecurity.co m/services/MATRIX.PDF) are just a few capabilities that Vance believes set it apart from their competition:
Client choice of uniform style ranging from discreet, non-threatening attire to full riot gear
Full-time executive protection agents and investigators
Evidence technicians and coordinators to cross-index photos and videotape
35mm and video equipment; long-range and night vision lenses available
Pre- and post-incident counseling by forensic psychologist
Provoking picket line violenceAsset protection isn't Vance's only business. They provide executive protection, investigate current and prospective employees, and consult on security matters for corporations, governments and wealthy individuals around the world. (They've just opened an office in--you guessed it--Iraq.) But George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and their families and top aides already received protection from a pretty good outfit known as the Secret Service.
So, here's the question to the Bush campaign: What possible legitimate use do you have for a firm that specializes in high-tech surveillance, personal investigations, and paramilitary protection?