Liberal comedian Kathy Griffin confirmed Friday that she is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service following a publicity stunt where she posed with a bloodied, severed head of President Donald Trump.

“What’s happening to me has never happened in the history of this great country,” Griffin said at a press conference where she was flanked by her attorneys, including Lisa Bloom. “A sitting president of the United States and his grown children and the First Lady are personally trying to ruin my life forever.”

Since the image went viral May 30, at least five venues have cancelled appearances by Griffin. CNN also announced that she would no longer appear as a part of its New Year’s Eve broadcast with co-host Anderson Cooper.

Griffin apologized for the “joke,” but remained defiant in her attitude towards the president. Her defense attorney, Dmitri Gore, answered questions about the Secret Service’s investigation. “We believe that it’s going to be closed,” Gore told reporters. “We don’t even think it should have ever been opened.”

“The Secret Service is doing their job I suppose anytime they perceive there’s a threat. But the really wasn’t a threat,” Gore said. “Ms. Griffin has expressed to you it was just a bad joke, she’s apologized for it, and we believe the Secret Service investigation should be closed as quickly as possible.”

Griffin believes that she has received so much backlash because she is a woman. “This wouldn’t be happening to a guy,” Griffin asserted. “This is a woman thing.”

“They’re using me as the shiny object, so that nobody’s talking about his [Trump’s] FBI investigation,” Griffin said.

The photographer of the image, Tyler Shields, defended Griffin. “It’s a very touchy subject … but this is not real. We didn’t kill anybody nor do I feel anybody should be killed. It’s no different from a movie. It just happens to be a still image,” Shields told Fox News.

“This president of all the people is going to come after me? He picked the wrong redhead!” Griffin said. “I’m not laying down for this guy. I’m going to keep making jokes about this guy.”

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