Ugliness in Scranton

The Scranton Times-Tribune says the US Secret Service is investigating a threatening remark made yesterday at a Sarah Palin rally in Scranton, PA. When Republican congressional candidate Chris Hackett mentioned Obama by name during his introduction of Palin, someone in the crowd yelled "Kill him!". Employees from the Times-Tribune were interviewed by the Secret Service after the story posted on the newspaper's website.

h/t TPM

-- Sean Bowditch

UPDATE: Just got off the phone with Darrin Blackford, a Secret Service spokesperson. He says they have not launched a formal investigation at this point. Rather, they are "following up in an abundance of caution." The follow-up comes in response to a Times-Tribune reporter who says he heard the comment while covering the event. But according to Blackford, the Secret Service has yet to corroborate the account. They are now in the process of contacting personnel who were at the event as well as canvassing local authorities. He added that such matters are taken "very seriously".

2:36 PM ET | 10-15-2008 | permalink

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