The request came from a White House advance man not affiliated with the Secret ervice, Kent Gray of Springfield, and was made for aesthetic, not security reasons.
The city, under the impression that the changes were a Secret Service requirement, spent $17,000 to take down the poles and uproot the trees, many of which had been installed only days earlier for the dedication of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum on April 19.
Gray said Thursday that he had made his request to Erik Nelson, the museum and library's chief of staff, on April 14, five days before Bush was to visit Springfield for the dedication.
"It was done to make the library and museum look good in the photo with the folks at the dedication," Gray said. "One of the saplings was directly behind the podium.
Riiiiiiight... the White House wanted the ALPLM to look good. No one else. Certainly it had nothing to do with better pictures of the President. No, no.
Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin isn't happy:
"I'm disappointed. I'm ticked," Davlin said Thursday. "I wish I had my money back."Well, not surprisingly, no one is taking the blame:
Gray said he had never made it seem as if his request was for security purposes.Whatever.
"I have no idea who started the false story that the Secret Service wanted these items moved, " Gray said. "But I don't think anyone really believed a terrorist would be able to hide behind a light pole within 50 feet of the president, the speaker of the House, two senators and the governor of Illinois. "
Gray added that as a White House advance man, "I certainly didn't order anyone to do it."
"They had the opportunity to say 'no,' " Gray said. "It was purely done out of an understanding that this would make a better event for the city of Springfield."
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