In the past, he had no protection. But in July 2009, it was different. He was spotted with the added protection at Manny's, a cafeteria-style deli on South Jefferson Street.
Talbot County Sheriff Office/AP
Accused in 2009's fatal shooting at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, James von Brunn also targeted White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod, according to Time magazine.
At the time, few knew why he suddenly was getting protection, though it was clear plenty of citizens around the nation were up in arms over President Barack Obama's push for health care reform.
But now Time magazine reports that the Holocaust museum shooter, James von Brunn, who shot and killed an African-American guard, also had someone else on his list: David Axelrod. The magazine suggests the threat prompted the new protection detail.
"What authorities did not disclose was how close the country had come to a seismic political event," Time reported. "Von Brunn, authoritative sources say, had another target in mind: White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod."
According to Time, "The president was too hard to reach, in von Brunn's view, but that was of no consequence. 'Obama was created by Jews,' he wrote. 'Obama does what his Jew owners tell him to do.'"
People like Axelrod don't automatically get protection unless it's authorized by the Department of Homeland Security and approved by the White House with an executive order.
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Ed Donovan, a Secret Service spokesman, declined today to comment on the report, as did FBI spokesman Andrew Ames, who said that "the case is yet to be formally closed."Von Brunn, 89, who was wounded in the head during the attack at the museum, died in January while undergoing mental health evaluation for his pending trial in federal court. Authorities said that he had been planning the shooting for months and wanted to send a message to the Jewish community that the Holocaust was a hoax.
The White House did not immediately respond today for comment.