Trump, Trash Bags, and Bulletproof Windows: A Trip Down Memory Lane

Remember that video of what looked like trash bags being tossed from a White House window? President Trump dismissed it, claiming the windows are bulletproof, sealed shut, and weigh a ton. This got us thinking...

Bulletproof Windows: An Alabama History Lesson

Before 1981, Alabama's Governor's office windows were just regular, thin glass. After the attempted assassination of Governor George Wallace in 1972, things changed. Steel plates were installed, making the office super secure, but also super dark.

Governor Fob James, Wallace's successor, wasn't a fan of the gloom. Steel plates blocked bullets AND sunlight. So, bulletproof glass was installed on the lower halves of the windows, "strong enough to withstand small arms fire," according to the security director. Fancy cameras and hidden alarms were added too.

Security Upgrades and Suspicions

Each bulletproof window cost a cool $4,030 back then (that's over $14,000 today!). They stayed until Governor Guy Hunt took office. Hunt surprised everyone by hiring his son, Keith (a carpenter and cattle farmer), as his security director.

Then came a major Capitol renovation. An Alabama Historical Commission employee accused Hunt and his son of demanding $2 million in unnecessary security upgrades, including even thicker bulletproof windows – strong enough to stop AK-47 rounds! These windows were so heavy, special steel casings were needed.

A Goat Hill Vantage Point and a Smoky Governor

Hunt claimed the U.S. Secret Service recommended the upgrades. But one official thought it was overkill, noting that only someone on a rooftop across the street could even possibly get a shot at the governor's office. And even that would be tough!

One security recommendation that didn't happen? A "12-foot-high iron-and-concrete fence" around the Capitol! Keith Hunt eventually resigned and went back to his cows and horses.

And while those White House windows might be sealed shut, I know for a fact the Governor's office windows in Alabama could open. As Governor Fob James' spokesman, I remember him throwing open the windows on nice days to let the smoke from his cigar drift out... security concerns be darned!