White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino is married to a true scofflaw. Well, only in the eyes of the U.S. Park Police, who saw fit to throw him in jail for having his dog off a leash. Posted on 05/04/2007 6:06:10 AM PDT by radar101
White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino is married to a true scofflaw. Well, only in the eyes of the U.S. Park Police, who saw fit to throw him in jail for having his dog off a leash.
Back in November, Perino’s husband, British businessman Peter McMahon, was walking their dog Henry — leashless — in Lincoln Park just east of the Capitol.
According to the original complaint, obtained by Yeas & Nays, Officer Stephen Smith of the Park Police asked him to “gain control of” Henry, an 8-year-old Vizsla breed, and “put him on a leash.”
McMahon replied that he didn’t have a leash, so Smith issued him a violation notice, complete with a $25 fine. “Why don’t you go chase down some squirrels,” McMahon then suggested to the officer.
According to representatives of the Park Police and D.C. Superior Court, he had 15 days to pay such a fine or request a court date, or else a warrant could be issued for his arrest.
Other sources familiar with the case say McMahon tried for months to pay the fine. Trouble was, the ticket did not note an address where it should be sent. Nevertheless, McMahon found an address for the Park Police and mailed his payment there.
It was too late. Early last month, McMahon returned from business overseas to discover that Smith had requested a warrant for his arrest, which a judge issued.
So on April 12, off McMahon went to the Park Police headquarters to pay the fine in person, when he was thrown in jail for the whole day.
Welcome to our nation’s capital, Mr. McMahon!
Perino and her husband declined to comment for the record.
This is hilarious and probably what really got him the jail time.
It doesn’t take tinfoil for anyone to google someone and find out anything - like being the husband of the REPUBLICAN President’s press secretary.
She’s still a babe.
Why do I doubt this? Party affiliations aside, it sounds more like the typical aloof DC approach was taken - fines are for the little people, what are they going to do, arrest me?
Let me get this straight, a congress”woman” hits a cop and this guy is in jail for a leash violation?
It doesn’t take tinfoil for anyone to google someone and find out anything - like being the husband of the REPUBLICAN President’s press secretary.
____________________
I don’t think the park policeman carry wireless internet enabled laptops when they are patrolling the park.
and given that his last name is different from hers (and remember, we’re talking park police here), so what would the trigger be to google the guy anyway - which I just did btw, and on the first 4 pages of results, there is absolutely nothing connecting dana perino to a Peter McMahon.
My tinfoil hat comment remains.
That does NOT matter in “leash” land.....believe me.....they do NOT care if your dog is better behaved than the 8 year old kid destroying public property.....
I used google as an example. I am sure the police have their own version. I made my comment, not based on the guy on patrol, but on what COULD happen back in the office.
Sometimes, she (Dana) walks Henry, their Hungarian hunting dog. When Perino says to the dog, “Tell us what you think of John Kerry,” the dog runs off and fetches flip-flops.
“It only took half a dozen times of Dana showing him for him to learn that,” McMahon marvels.
That may very well be but since he had so many problems attempting to pay the fine it seems that those in charge just may have discovered who he was married to.
Perino graduate from then University of Southern Colorado in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in mass communications and a minor in both political science and Spanish. While attending the University, Perino was active on the forensics team and with KTSC. From there, Dana received her master's degree at the University of Illinois-Springfield, where she also worked as a daily reporter covering the Illinois Capitol for SCIA-TV, a CBS affiliate. She then went on to work in Washington, D.C. for Rep. Scott McInnis of Colorado as a staff assistant before serving nearly four years as the press secretary for retired Colroado Congressman Dan Schaefer. She received the 2003 Outstanding Alumna Award from the CSU-Pueblo Alumni Association
I just wondered if there was a reason they kept after him till he was in jail. Just curious, considering all that gets overlooked in Washington these days.
The Park Police should be feeding the ducks and getting cats out of trees rather than engaging in LE activity. That’s why their jurisdiction is a time-honored favorite for disposing of bodies since the early 60’s.
Shoulda walked his dog drunk at 3AM in Patrick Kennedy’s car.
I think he might have gotten out of the jail time if not for the ‘squirrel’ remark.
Ho hum.
Do you really believe that? I don't. Do you really think this guy "tried for months to pay the ticket"? I don't. I think I could have figured out how to pay the ticket within an hour using the internet and a telephone. I think you've let yourself be suckered here.
...it seems that those in charge just may have discovered who he was married to.
Are you suggesting that well-connected people should be above the law? That's what it sounds like you're suggesting.
That may very well be but since he had so many problems attempting to pay the fine it seems that those in charge just may have discovered who he was married to.
_____
I’m sorry, but it strains credibility to the absolute max to suggest that the husband of the president’s press secretary cannot figure out how to pay the ticket, when 10s of thousands of other people do NOT go to jail after successfully paying said citation. Sorry, the dog ate my homework defense (and its related excuses) carry zero weight with me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.