The partisan angle on the McManus Affair

I thought the ABC video the other day was rather poor, to be frank. I talked to the reporter REPEATEDLY on this issue, and he refused to move on it until the FBI arrested him because he couldn’t determine it was actually him.

Um, really dude? After I gave you the address, the social security number etc, and you went to the house and a dude wearing a generals star and a CIA hat that somehow managed to match the rank and designation the guy was wearing in the photo…..the keen powers of observation couldn’t deduce it was the same guy until he was arrested. Anyway, what was also buried in the entire thing was the political element. For instance, seek in vain in that video to see how this guy used his service to oppose DADT. There is a reference to the Mayor, but it is fleeting and she disavows knowledge of this clown.

Well, today ABC dug a little deeper, in a well written article by Gene Apodaca:

We have learned Michael Patrick McManus met Councilmember Sue Lovell at a political function a few years ago. She says he was, in fact, wearing the uniform that is now in question. While she says the conversation was brief, a short time later, he did end up with a job at city hall.

“This, in my opinion, is someone who wants to be a hero, wants to be thought of as a hero and they don’t deserve it,” said John Breiden with the American Legion.

And one day after his arrest, we’re learning McManus may have carried out his alleged charade inside Houston City Hall.

“He said that he wanted to come and work for city hall,” said Councilmember Lovell. “We said please send your resume and he did.”

In fact, Lovell was the Vice Mayor pro tem of Houston.

Back on January 19th, almost 3 weeks ago, I covered McManus’ claims of employment. In that post I noted:

CLAIM: MPMC worked as a part of a Personal Security Detail for a US Congressperson from the State of Texas from May 2007-Sep 2007.

FACTS: Working this angle now, there is no way he was PSD for a Republican so, I have someone working on getting me names and phone numbers of Dem Congresspeople from Texas. If I had to guess who he would work for if this were true…. Sheila Jackson Lee. He says “Member of the US Congress” and not “Congressman”. May be nothing, but I will have names and numbers shortly for some enterprising reader to make some calls to see if he ever served for the Member.

Later, Texas Gun Geek* found the proof I was looking for on a wink.com profile which is still up and claims:

Michael Tenzin Chophak McManusliving in Houston, Texas Area
Purdue University • Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee • Personal Security Detail / Bodyguard

Work
Personal Security Detail / Bodyguard at Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
Jun 2007 – Present
School
Purdue University , BS in Psychology with Minor in Linguistics

That page in turn links to MPMC’s LinkedIn page that has been taken down. I saved EVERYTHING of this guy on line, so if any enterprising reporters *cough * Apodaca * cough * want to keep searching, you should start with Sheila Jackson Lee’s office, at 202-225-3816.

Usually I wouldn’t resort to the media, but they have better local sources, and I bet if we keep digging we can find this gent tied to more Politicians and causes; all of which are tainted by this affair.

* Visit the Gun Geek and show him some traffic-love!

Category: Politics