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Secret Service director promises full security review after White House breach Secret Service director promises full security review after White House breach
(35 minutes later)
The director of the Secret Service promised Tuesday a full review of all security policies at the White House in the wake of “unacceptable” breakdowns that allowed a knife-wielding man to reach deep into the executive mansion. House lawmakers on Tuesday grilled the embattled Secret Service director over the agency’s competency and the strength of her leadership following a cascade of security breakdowns that allowed a knife-wielding man to reach deep into the executive mansion.
“It is clear that our security plan was not executed properly,’’ said Julia Pierson, according to prepared remarks in advance of a session before a House committee seeking answers on security measures and her leadership after the Sept. 19 incident. Julia Pierson promised a full review of all tactics, including use of force, in the wake of the Sept. 19 incident — which she said was the sixth breach of the White House fence in the past year.
“I take full responsibility,’’ Pierson added. “What happened is unacceptable and it will never happen again.” “It will never happen again,” she pledged.
The hearing by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee follows a report by The Washington Post that Army veteran Omar Gonzalez rushed much farther into the White House than authorities initially disclosed. But members of a House oversight committee slammed back with repeated questions over whether the Secret Service was keeping pace with an array of perceived threats such as Islamist militants.
The Post report, based on three people familiar with the incident, described how Gonzalez jumped the White House fence, sprinted through the unlocked front door and overpowered a Secret Service officer. Gonzalez was finally tackled at the far southern end of the East Room, an 80-foot-long chamber often used for receptions or presidential addresses. “Americans know the next attempt to take the White House . . . could well be a planned attack by a terrorist organization,’’ said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
An alarm box near the front entrance of the White House designed to alert guards to an intruder had been muted at what officers believed was a request of the usher’s office, said a Secret Service official who spoke to the Post on the condition of anonymity. Another panel member, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), sharply criticized the restraint apparently displayed after Army veteran Omar Gonzalez scaled the White House fence and raced across the lawn.
“Overwhelming force’’ is the only message that should be projected by the Secret Service, he said.
The hearing follows a report by The Washington Post that Gonzalez rushed much farther into the White House than authorities initially disclosed.
The Post report, based on three people familiar with the incident, described how Gonzalez cleared the White House fence, sprinted through the unlocked front door and overpowered an officer. Gonzalez was finally tackled at the far southern end of the East Room, an 80-foot-long chamber often used for receptions or presidential addresses.
“It is clear that our security plan was not executed properly,’’ Pierson told the committee.
“I take full responsibility,’’ she added. “What happened is unacceptable, and it will never happen again.”
Pierson last week briefed President Obama on plans to shore up security.Pierson last week briefed President Obama on plans to shore up security.
“There is no such thing as ‘business as usual’ in our line of work,” she told the committee. “We have to be successful 100 percent of the time, and we are constantly making changes and doing everything possible to ensure that we are.’ “There is no such thing as ‘business as usual’ in our line of work,” she said. “We have to be successful 100 percent of the time, and we are constantly making changes and doing everything possible to ensure that we are.”
The chairman of the House committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), said the reputation of the Secret Service has been “clearly blemished” by the breach and the agency appeared “in decline.” But the committee chairman Issa said the reputation of the Secret Service has been “clearly blemished” by the breach, and the agency appeared “in decline.”
He added that the Post report “turned upside down” previous official claims that Gonzalez was subdued just inside the White House. The Post report, he said, “turned upside down” previous official claims that Gonzalez was subdued just inside the White House.
“American’s know the next attempt to take the White House ... could well-be a planned attack by a terrorist organization,’’ he said. The agency, said Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), needs a ``21st century makeover.’
Another panel member, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), earlier described the Gonzalez breach as a cascade of failures. Pierson said 16 people have come over the White House fence in the past year, including the six in the past year. Gonzalez, however, is the first known to have jumped the fence and made it inside the executive mansion.
He said “overwhelming force’’ is the only message that should be projected by the Secret Service. She said that the front door of the White House did not have ability to be remotely locked until earlier this month, but did not elaborate on why it remained open when Gonzales reached the building.
Although some people have cleared the White House fence, Gonzalez is the first known to have jumped the fence and made it inside the executive mansion. Pierson, who was appointed head of the Secret Service in March 2013, took over as it sought to rebound from a scandal over agents allegedly visiting prostitutes in Colombia while preparing for a presidential visit. Later, the agency faced blows when one agent on assignment in the Netherlands was found passed out in a hotel hallway following a night of drinking.
Pierson, who was appointed head of the Secret Service in March 2013, took over as it sought to rebound from a scandal over agents allegedly visiting prostitutes in Colombia while preparing for a presidential visit. Later, the agency faced blows when agents were suspected of drinking in the Netherlands. On Sunday, the Post also described the failure of the Secret Service to recognize and promptly investigate a shooting incident in 2011 in which a gunman fired at least seven shots at the upstairs residence.
On Sunday, the Post also described the failure of the Secret Service to recognize and promptly investigate a shooting incident in 2011 in which a gunman fired at least seven shots at the upstairs residence