Irene Martin gets a valor award
Fox News reports that Homeland Security Department employee, Irene Martin is set to receive an award for valor from the department. According to Fox, the award is usually given to employees who saved lives, like from a burning car or something, but Martin hasn’t done any of that stuff. In fact she was blamed by the Office of the Inspector General for running a block on an investigation into Enrique Marquez, the fellow who gave weapons to the San Bernadino terrorists.
Martin was blamed for touching off a turf war that came to light when whistle blowers told Senate Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., about the tense, Dec. 3, 2015 incident. It came a day after Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook killed 14 and wounded 22 in the terror attack. Authorities believe Enrique Marquez, who had an appointment with Martin’s staff when the authorities showed up, gave them the guns used in the attack.
[…]
The nomination from Martin’s superiors was stunning to staff members because it was announced just days after a June 1 DHS Inspector General’s report found Martin improperly hindered the work of five armed agents on site just 24 hours after the attack.
[…]
Department of Homeland Security officials declined to say what Martin did to merit consideration for the award, which is described as “the highest departmental recognition for extraordinary acts of valor by an employee or group, occurring while on or off duty” and is reserved for “those who have demonstrated extraordinary courage in a highly dangerous, life-threatening situation or emergency under extreme stress and involving a specific act of valor, such as saving another person’s life or property.”
When Fox asked the department for the event that triggered the award for Martin, the department said that they should file a FIOA request, so we may never know.
Category: Dumbass Bullshit
For exceptional [redacted] while engaged with right wing terrorists [redacted]
“For demonstrating exceptional skill and initiative in the performance of oral sex on her superiors, despite her otherwise-unacceptable job performance…”
Remember that old saying: It’s not who you know that counts, it’s who you blow? Well it’s stuff like this that makes it a truism.
I’m recommending Monica for one. No telling how many lives she saved by swallowing.
The DHS is so very proud of Martin that Fox was told to file a Freedom of Information Act request to learn what she did to merit the award? Bwahahahahahahahah.
She took a bullet for the Obama Administration. Isn’t that worthy of some recognition?
“Most transparent administration” my Black Irish ass.
From zero to hero. With no public explanations. (w-t-f!?)
Was she approved for the award or only nominated at this point?
I think the words “Irene Martin is set to receive an award” are self explanatory.
I don’t think you answered my question.
The title says “Irene Martin Gets Valor Award.”
Which is not the case as best as I can tell at this point.
You claim that “Irene Martin is set to receive an award…” is self explanatory. No, it is not. “set to receive” could mean merely “nominated”, or “nominated and approved but has not received it yet”.
As best I can tell she has only been nominated at this point.
I am just trying to figure out what has actually happened at this point with respect to the award.
Maybe it does not matter. Maybe the nomination process results in 100% approval every time. Maybe the opposite is true, maybe the award has a very low approval rate but nomination is common.
You gave yourself away by starting off with “I”.
That, and your writing style and general tone is somewhat distinctive.
Yep.
I imagine the citation will read like this:
“On 2 December 2015, two terrorists attacked the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, killing 14 people and wounded 22. The terrorists, Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, were killed fleeing the scene of their carnage. Subsequent investigation revealed that the two were likely aided and abetted by a third individual, one Enrique Marquez, a foreign national being held at an ICE office commanded by Martin. When Homeland Security Investigators penetrated the office’s perimeter with the goal to secure the person of Marquez, Martin established a firm defensive security cordon and stymied the investigators. Contemporaneously, Martin initiated diversionary tactics to delay the attempted apprehension, befuddling investigators and extinguishing their resolve.
Irene Martin’s quick and decisive action is in keeping with the highest traditions of the Department of Homeland Security and reflects the outstanding leadership and intrepid spirit of an oBaMa administration official.”
Three thumbs up.
And I have only two hands.
I’ll accept the two on the sides, thanks. You keep the one in the middle!
Best hope he isn’t playing “switch” with those two thumbs, 2/17. (smile)
Completely wrong. Marquez is a US citizen. And was at a USCIS office for a marriagemarriage visa for his fake wife, which would have been referred to the fraud unit.
ICE knew this immediately and wanted to see the file, which is not allowed until it is referred to them by USCIS. There was no mechanism in place to just hand that information over. This is because ICE is not allowed to arrest someone on USCIS property.
Methinks someone’s sarcasm detector may be inoperative.
That is bs…you used way too many “mean” words.
“On 2 December 2015, two misguided persons of the religion of peace acted in perceived self-defense at the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California resulting in the death of fourteen oppressive American citizens. Subsequent investigation led to Enrique Marquez, an innocent until proven guilty but still considered innocent party. Oppressive agents of the US government attempted to apprehend him with probable cause. Their actions were thwarted by Martin in a courageous attempt to aid the Democrat narrative. Her quick response, refusal to admit fault, and lack of integrity for her position to protect and serve the American public reflect great credit upon her, the Democrat party and are in keeping with the highest traditions of Obama and Clinton”
Okay. I’ll trade mine for yours Boomer.
I’m fascinated by this: improperly hindered the work of five armed agents on site just hours after the attack.
Just what the bloody Hell IS going on there?
She was an effective bureaucrat. Making others ineffective makes her effective.
“Stolen Valor”?
“Hijacked, Kidnapped, and Raped Valor”?
“Forced Into Sex-Slavery Valor”?
I can’t even think of an adequate headline for this..
Try ‘No Ethics At All’.
That works. They don’t have a clue as to what ‘ethics’ means. To steal a line:
“I guess it has something to do with the way that I fill out my skin-tight blue jeans.”
That was “egotistical” – but close enough.
You’re dead on the money, though. They have no clue…
Twunt
Hey, interfering with Federal LEOs performing an investigation takes guts and courage. People can go to jail for that.
Well, you or I could go to jail for that.
She probably has an Obama “hope and change!” poster in her office. That’s all you need to make you above the law. Its what also gets you awards for no reason.
This whole thing has become politicized to the point of absurdity.
The delay of agents is it’s own incident and should be addressed as such.
The valor award should be awarded for an act of valor. And that act should be evaluated on its own merits.
However, I find no confirmation she is getting an award for valor.
There is a DHS Secretary’s award. This award can be given for any number of things. Valor, Exceptional Service, Meritorious Service, Exemplary Service, Excellence, Volunteer Service, Outstanding Diversity in Management…
So far I see noting to indicate why she is getting the Secretary’s award.
If she is getting one for her job performance then the issue with the agent’s should be part of the decision.
But if she is getting one for Valor then the act of valor alone should be all that is considered.
Which then brings up the question of, “Why the hell won’t they tell people why?” She fell on a sword for someone else and they’re rewarding her for it.
This is all pretty odd.
It is hard to tell how much is political spin and how much is legitimate.
The delay of the agents was 10 minutes. This kinds of inter agency issues happen all the time. She sounds like she was particularly incompetent in the moment but it is difficult to determine how to evaluate that issue in context with the award because we know nothing about the award.
The linked article implies Martin has been nominated for the award vice approved for same.
Also per the linked article, Martin kept the agents waiting for 30 minutes – not 10 – before even meeting with them. There was an additional hour’s delay before providing them Martinez’s file. That adds up to a hour and a half.
A 10- or 15-minute delay could have been normal business. Delaying Federal LEOs conducting an investigation 90 minutes raises questions.
I did nit find the linked article to provide sufficient information to be credible.
So I looked up several sources. Particularly about the incident with respect to the delay.
I am not defending the delay anyway. I just used the time from the last article I read which was apparently the time pulled out of the investigative report on the incident (but I did not verify that by looking at the report).
Fair enough.
Would appreciate a link to the other article if you have it – I’d like to read that also.
Here is the link to the article.
Though on rebooking at it it was two periods of ten minutes. Lobby, then moved to another area.
My impression after by brief period of research was that it seems like it had become politicized. Only because interagency issues like this are really common. Seemed this one made news while dozens of others a month do not get noticed. Though, admittedly this was tied to a very serious terrorist attack so was much more likely to be noticed.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3630024/Immigration-official-BLOCKED-Homeland-Security-agents-seizing-San-Bernardino-gun-supplier-day-attack-lied-investigators-guess-won-t-disciplined.html
Thanks for the source.
Hmm. 5 armed Federal LEOs detained 10 min in lobby plus waiting 10 min in conf room plus transit time plus however much time discussing the matter with Martin. Certainly sounds closer to 30 min than 20 to me – don’t think I’ve ever seen a contentious discussion about “turf issues” take less than 10 minutes.
Plus, the Daily Mail article appears to be from 2+ weeks ago and also appears to contain a major factual error – I’m pretty sure it’s been ascertained that Martinez was a “no show” at the USCIS office that day. So I’m not sure I’d regard it as a superior source vis-a-vis a later article that doesn’t contain that same error of fact.
Lostcause: ‘But if she is getting one for Valor then the act of valor alone should be all that is considered.” I am guessing the name of SFC Plumlee doesn’t ring any bells with you?
I am not saying it happens. I am saying it SHOULD happen.
Valor awards get politicized. The more prestigious the award the more likely politics is part of the decision.
My understanding is Medal of Honor winners are now vetted to makes sure they are not someone that is likely going to be controversial or potential disgrace the award latter in life.
“Winners”?
Really?
Recipients.
When someone is AWARDED the Medal of Honor, the “winners” are the warfighters alive to tell the story of the badass that gave them the opportunity to tell the story.
“What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
That which we call a turd, still smells the same by any other name.
Recipient. Are you shitting me Commissar? Recipient is who junk mail gets sent to.
I’d hit it.
With what?
A 2×4? Or a 4×4? Lumber? Or pick-up? Forward? Reverse? Or forward AND reverse?
He’d probably hit it forward and reverse without the pickup.
and repeatedly
What?
Wow.
This is beginning to sound eerily similar to another recent thread. I’ll just leave it at this: OJ Simpson was not guilty.
Even though not guilty isn’t the same as innocent.
In his case though, as Chris Rock would say, “That shit was about fame. If he wasn’t famous, he wouldn’t even be OJ. He’d be Orenthal the Bus driving maniac.”
Ah. You caught that. No one is ever “innocent” in American criminal jurisprudence. One is either guilty or not guilty, no lo plea aside.
Uh ‘scuse me? Da hell is going on?
Who knew this was the logical extension of participation awards in youth sports?
Apparently just being there now is good enough even if you are turd who regularly interferes with active shooter investigations…
And there are entire groups of idiots who can’t wait to vote for the queen….what the hell is going on here?
Someone else got a Valor award. So, everyone gets valor awards. Its just not fair otherwise.
IMHO that award is one BIG and smelly bucket of politics!
She must have swallowed.
Maybe I missed it, but what’s the name of this award? DHS probably has some pretty hefty valor awards for the coast guard and secret service, and I’m curious as to how high up this award is. Is it always awarded for valor, or could the facts have gotten crossed up?
“or could the facts have gotten crossed up?” First, it’s the gov’t so that’s pretty much a given. Second, the way I hear it, it was office renovation time at DHS. So, like everyone else, Martin submitted a request but included in hers new drapes. She requested veleur, with grant award funding. Anyhow, a few weeks later, she was sent an email which contained a very poor choice of words. It read, “We are pleased to inform you that your grant request for drapes has been approved and that you will receive a veleur award.” The rest, as they say, is history.