Norton Raises Major Questions About Secret Service Security for President Obama (12/3/09)

Norton Raises Major Questions About Secret Service Security for President Obama

December 3, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC - Under questioning from Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) at the Committee on Homeland Security Committee hearing on White House Security today, U.S. Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan admitted that the Secret Service did not uncover the White House breach by the Salahis as imposters who had no invitation to last week's State Dinner. In fact, it was the Salahis themselves, who were so hungry for exposure that they put pictures of the State Dinner on their facebook. Norton noted that their hunger abated when they failed the request to appear at today's hearing. A subpoena is likely. Norton asked Sullivan how he could say, as he previously had testified, that there were no other interlopers at the State Dinner. Concerned that the Salahis have "pioneered a new method for breeching security," the Congresswoman said she could not fully credit the director's prior assurance that no other crashers were at the State Dinner. However, the Congresswoman commended the Secret Service for accepting responsibility for the lapse, and she said that the Secret Service has always asked for her ID when she has gone to the White House, including at last week's State Dinner.

Norton questioned Sullivan on whether the Secret Service had adequate coverage for a State Dinner that had four times as many guests as usual, particularly considering that Obama is the first African American president, who reportedly has received more threats than any president before him. Sullivan said that threats today against the president are at a normal rate for presidents.

As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, Norton has been particularly concerned that the Salahis "conned their way into the White House." However, she said, "Fortunately no harm was done to the president. I cannot say the same for the many small business creditors in this region who will likely never undo the financial harm the Salahis have done to them because the Salahis are in Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which will probably wipe out what is owed to their phalanx of creditors."