Security Officer Fired After Elevator Ride with Barack Obama
Kenneth Tate, the private security guard who rode in the elevator with Barack Obama, was fired about a week after the president's visit, the New York Times reports.
According to the Times, Tate said he was assigned to accompany Obama as the president visited the CDC. Additionally, while reports initially indicated that Tate was a convicted felon, his employer -- the private security firm Professional Security Corporation -- confirmed to the Times that Tate had no felony or misdemeanor convictions. Tate had been arrested on robbery and assault charges but never convicted, said CBS News.
The security officer said he was never given an official explanation for his termination, though it seemed like the Secret Service was angry over a picture he tried to take of Obama's armored limousine, called "the beast."
After he snapped the picture, the Secret Service pulled Tate aside for questioning, he said. He deleted the picture as requested, said CBS News. After the interview, the CDC took away his badge, and he was fired about a week later.
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