A Secret Service agent out of the Denver office who wrote in a Facebook post that she wouldn't "take a bullet" for President Trump and openly came out in favor of Hillary Clinton, thus violating the Hatch Act, has been placed on paid leave by the agency while an investigation is conducted.

Washington Examiner:

An agency spokeswoman on Friday afternoon informed the Washington Examiner of the management action, which takes the agent off the job with pay while the investigation proceeds.

The move is a sign that the agency is taking the investigation against Kerry O'Grady, the agent who wrote the Facebook post, seriously. Critics, however, question why it took the agency three months and a report in the Washington Examiner earlier this week for it to initiate the probe.

On Wednesday night, the Secret Service announced that it was formally investigating the special agent who suggested on Facebook that she would rather endure "jail time" than take "a bullet" for Trump.

The Secret Service said its Office of Professional Responsibility, or RES, its main internal ethics entity, is investigating the matter. Joseph Clancy, the director of the Secret Service, sent an email to all employees Wednesday night notifying them of the formal probe, and asking them for "patience while the RES conducts their investigation."

The female agent, Kerry O'Grady, clearly violated the Hatch Act by making her preference for president known on social media:

“As a public servant for nearly 23 years, I struggle not to violate the Hatch Act,” she wrote on Facebook. "So I keep quiet and skirt the median. To do otherwise can be a criminal offense for those in my position.”

“[It is] despite the fact I am expected to take a bullet for both sides,” O’Grady continued. "But this world has changed and I have changed.”

“And I would take jail time over a bullet or an endorsement for what I believe to be a disaster for this country and the strong and amazing women and minorities who reside here. Hatch Act be damned. I am with her.”

It turns out that the Secret Service had received a complaint about this post months ago but failed to investigate. It wasn't until the Examiner published a piece about the incident that the Secret Service got interested in O'Grady's online postings.

Just what is it they have to "investigate"? Not only is her statement that she wouldn't take a bullet for Trump a serious breach of her professional responsibilities, but she is daring the agency to charge her with a violation of the Hatch Act for her statement, "I am with her." 

A couple of hours reading her social media posts is all the "investigation" that's needed to fire her before charging her with a criminal act. Instead, she will get a nice, extended paid vacation at the taxpayer's expense.

The Secret Service is not the honorable, admired agency it used to be.