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Photographs of President Trump scarce at federal buildings

John L. Smith
John L. Smith
Opinion
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Something is missing down at the Lloyd D. George United States Courthouse.

Before a visitor has even placed his wallet in the metal detector, a large portrait of the handsome building’s honorable namesake greets friend and foe alike from just inside the front door.

After you’ve passed the inspection by the courthouse security officers in their navy sport coats, the ground floor of the handsome dispensary of justice on Las Vegas Boulevard is decorated with an artistic display of vintage Vegas photographs in the lobby, an interactive directory, and information on the FBI’s Most Wanted List. Engraved in marble is a line from the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist: “The cornerstone of the federal judicial system is the trial courts ... in which witnesses testify, juries deliberate, and justice is done.”

Those with nothing better to do than scour the building on a recent Friday, as I did, would have seen large portraits of a pair of veteran federal Judges Roger Hunt and Kent Dawson, greeting them as the stepped off the elevator on the sixth floor. A portrait of retired U.S. District Judge Philip Pro handled sentinel duty on the seventh floor, where the curious would also note group photographs of the judges in the Nevada circuit through the years.

But nowhere in the public space will a visitor to the federal courthouse find a photograph of President Donald Trump -- not even adjacent to the wanted posters -- and that has some employees complaining about a lack of fairness and balance. In their memories, the courthouse has always featured a presidential photograph.  Several employees who spoke anonymously said a building manager said hanging the photograph would potentially cause controversy and upset people.

At this point, it’s probably a safe bet that Republicans and Sean Hannity already have surmised former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid is behind the slight. Reid is retired, but the dogged Democrat haunts their dreams, and they’re almost certain he’s responsible.

Not so fast.

Across the Boulevard at the Foley Federal Building, where locals grind their way through bankruptcy proceedings, you’ll experience ample security -- but no hanging likeness of the new president. Not a painting, not a photograph, not even a fake Time magazine cover.

A few questions of the blue coats on duty are met with eye rolls and a knowing silence.  When asked, one points to honored wall space set aside for previous presidents. It is blank, and they have have been instructed to remain low key on the subject of the lack of photographs of the commander in chief inside the federal buildings.

Considering Trump’s many business bankruptcies over the years, you’d think the federal court of reorganization and liquidation would have a few snapshots of him on file. But I digress.

Those federal buildings are maintained by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Surely its local officials would know about the missing presidential photograph. As it turns out, the GSA does hang the official presidential portrait in federal buildings under its control, but only after the approved glamor shots are received from the U.S. Government Publishing Office. But there doesn’t appear to be a government-wide regulation covering the issue.

A contact with the GPO resulted in a response from its chief public relations officer, Gary Somerset.

“The GPO is standing by to reproduce copies of the President and Vice President’s photos for official use in Federal facilities, and will do so as soon as the official photo files are provided to us,” Somerset said. “I do not have a timeline on when GPO will receive those files from The White House.”

I wanted to ask Somerset whether an official presidential TwitPic or social media selfie from @realdonaldtrump would suffice, but then thought better of it.

You can cancel the all-points bulletin and Amber Alert. The official photograph hasn’t been kidnapped. Nor is it a victim of vandals, or petty political intrigue.

Although the fretting GSA official is probably right, posting a Trump photo might not be a welcome sight for some visitors and employees, I did manage to find a picture of the president on display in the lobby of the federal building to the south of the courthouse. The U.S. Attorney’s office is quartered there these days. A security officer understood the question and the controversy, and he pointed to a small framed glossy in the distance. “We have one here,” he said, declining further comment.

It’s not official, perhaps, but at least it’s on the wall.

Back at the courthouse, there was a whirl of activity. Dozens of locals of many nationalities and ethnicities gathered on the first floor. Some were surrounded by family, others stood alone. Those present waited in a long line, but most did so with a smile.

They emerged from a large room with even broader smiles, for they had just finished declaring their loyalty to the United States and were then officially newly minted citizens.

Some waved little American flags. Dozens registered to vote and sought answers at a table set up by the Social Security Administration.

If you really want to know what makes America great again and again, take that picture and hang it on the wall.

John L. Smith is a longtime Las Vegas journalist and author. Contact him at [email protected]. On Twitter: @jlnevadasmith.

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