Denver – A Colorado state employee could be disciplined for sending an e-mail showing President Barack Obama shining the shoes of former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
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The 73-year-old Colorado Department of Transportation worker forwarded the e-mail to at least four co-workers and others on Dec. 22 using her state e-mail account. One of the recipients outside the agency complained.
The original sender of the e-mail, who isn’t a state employee, wrote “It appears he (Obama) has found his niche.”
CDOT spokeswoman Mindy Crane says the worker could face discipline ranging from a written reprimand to suspension. Employment rules require that she meet with personnel officials first and have a chance to respond in writing. That meeting is scheduled for next week.
he prob can’t even do that right!
i think its funny, just because hes black doesnt mean this was racial, which I hope is not the complaint.
Totally absurd. What happened to freedom of speech?
Its a JOKE. Geeez.
Had it been an email degrading Palin, that of course would somehow be okay.
How could someone be so offensive??You don’t have to agree with the President, but you need basic respect.Horrible!!
Tell him to forward it to me!
hey don’t get so excited if this would have been done to former pres. Bush no one would have said a boo, only because it is the guy in the white house does everyone start to cry. I am sure former pres. Bush had plenty of emails going around about him that were a lot worse than this one. actualy I happen to like this photo maybe that guy would have been alot more succesful with the job in the photo.
if barak was on the chair this guy would get a raise
Talk about projection. last I checked, Obama is the President and Palin is the quitter who’s only future career prospects might include shining shoes. I guess when you are the loser, fantasies of grandure are a sufficient substitute for the real thing. Dream on hockey mom.
I thought this was hilarious. Don’t we have free speech? I think the employee should get a raise.
This smacks of racism, but is not clear cut. It should only lead to action if it was done on Govt. computers.
I’m impressed that he’s still working at 73 and that at that age he’s learned to use the computer.
All government agencies have a policy forbidding personal use of the computers at work. Aside from the question of utilizing government equiptment, he was playing when he should have been working. He deserves to lose a days pay or vacation day.
I expect that the punishment fit the crime.
This was stupid and in poor taste and misuse of State time and email.
It is not porn so relax.
It should be rather clear that the vast majority of VIN readers are not especially supportive of the policies of the Administration regarding EY and a significant number also disagree on domestic policy issues. However, most of us have great respect for the office of the President and regard these anecdotes as offensive. Even at the age of 73, there are obviously lots of deranged people out there.
The Supreme Court is now in the process of deciding whether an employer can examine the personal emails of their employees, even if they are using the company email system. The decision may impact heavily on this case, depending on what they decide and how narrowly they apply their decision.
The court did decide that employers cannot restrict use of the internet by their employees unless it interferes with their work use it inappropriately.
So let’s wait.
Prezy is in almost the same position as when he was caught by the Japanese paparazzi worshiping their emperor. Next time someone should give him a shtois in tu….
Oh please, if he had sent a different type of personal email, like one that made a joke about Bush or Rush Limbaugh, it wouldn’t have been any issue.
It’s all an excuse to not let people criticize Obama who thinks he is KING OF THE WORLD.
They are afraid people may wake up and realize that this is all Obama is good for if even that.
Their is Nothing offensive , and he is not having trouble for sending the joke, but in every professional company the employee will get in trouble for using company email for personal use, even if its not a joke
Reply to #9 the only 1 shining shoes is gona be obama when he’s voted out of office. And did you check how many books governer palin sold? So I don’t think that shell be returning or have to return to work anytime soon
How many of the comments about this story on VIN and other blogs were written on company computors?
He will no doubt be taken off his regular job to undergo several weeks of mandatory sensitivity training at the states expenses. His graduation will likely coincide with his retirement, further wasting gov’t resources.
To say that this Joke is degrading, is in and of itself degrading. Are the shoe-shiners of the world chopped liver?
What’s next, are we going to start making fun of barbers?
Every time I get a shore shine, these individuals are friendly and knowledgeable and love their jobs.
WELL EXCUSE HIM (the man who sent the email) FOR BRINGING THAT BAAL GAYVEH DOWN TO WHERE HE BELONGS.