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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
(about 2 hours later)
With questions mounting about the competency and command of the Secret Service, House lawmakers on Tuesday grilled the agency’s director about security breaches at the White House and called for a wide-ranging probe into every level of the elite force. Just 18 months after taking the helm, Secret Service Director Julia Pierson spent hours Tuesday on Capitol Hill facing sharp questioning from House lawmakers incensed about a recent security breach at the White House and the misleading information the agency initially released about it.
Julia Pierson faced hours of often tense and hard-edged questioning — from both Democrats and Republicans — that touched off speculation about whether or not she would be able to continue her 18-month tenure. After the hearing, top lawmakers on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said they would request that the Department of Homeland Security impanel a team of independent investigators to conduct a comprehensive probe of the agency.
Pierson sat stone-faced as several members of an oversight committee declared they had lost confidence in her stewardship. Some went further, depicting the Secret Service as adrift and plagued by shortcomings such as the cascade of security breakdowns that allowed a knife-wielding man to reach deep into the executive mansion. The tense grilling followed days of revelations about security breaches that have triggered mounting criticism of the elite law enforcement agency, which is charged with protecting the president, his family and visiting foreign leaders.
Pierson promised a full review of all tactics, including the use of force, in the wake of the Sept. 19 incident in which Army veteran Omar Gonzalez broke into the White House, the sixth breach of the White House fence in the past year. Pierson sat stone-faced as several members of the House committee declared they had lost confidence in her stewardship. Some went further, depicting the Secret Service as adrift and plagued by shortcomings after a cascade of security breakdowns that allowed a knife-wielding veteran believed to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder to hop the White House fence, enter through an unlocked door and dash deep into the executive mansion before being stopped.
“It will never happen again,” she pledged. “I’m right on that precipice” of calling for Pierson’s resignation, said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), a committee member. “I’m not saying that yet, but I can tell you that the agency overall has a leadership problem.”
But members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hammered back with repeated questions over her ability to direct the agency and whether it was keeping pace with an array of perceived threats such as Islamist militants. “There have got to be changes,” he added. “. . . I don’t have confidence in the leadership. I don’t think they’ve got their act together.”
“Americans know the next attempt to take the White House . . . could well be a planned attack from a terrorist organization,’’ said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the committee. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.), as he left a closed-door briefing that Pierson provided after the hearing for committee members, said, “Let’s just say I’m not impressed with the way she’s handled White House security so far.”
He closed the hearing by warning that the inquest may not be over: Saying he planned to reach out to the Homeland Security chief on a possible independent investigation that would include the Sept. 19 failings and expand to all aspects of Secret Service operations. Pierson promised a full review of all tactics, including the use of force, in the wake of the Sept. 19 incident in which Army veteran Omar Gonzalez allegedly broke into the White House, the sixth breach of the compound’s fence in the past year.
“An internal investigation is not sufficient,’’ said Issa, whose call was backed by several committee members. “It will never happen again,” she said.
The hearing followed a report by The Washington Post that Gonzalez rushed much farther into the White House than authorities initially disclosed. The hearing followed a report by The Washington Post that Gonzalez rushed much farther into the White House than authorities had initially disclosed.
The 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 by an off-duty Secret Service agent at the far southern end of the East Room, an 80-foot-long chamber often used for receptions or presidential addresses. The report, based on accounts of 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.
A federal grand jury on Tuesday charged Gonzalez with one federal count of entering a restricted building or grounds while carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon. He was also charged with two violations of District laws: carrying a dangerous weapon outside a home or business and unlawful possession of ammunition. The Post reported Tuesday that Gonzalez was apprehended only after he encountered an off-duty Secret Service agent who happened to be walking through the White House.
The D.C. weapons charge carries up to a five-year prison sentence, and the ammunition count up to one year in prison. The agent who tackled Gonzalez had been serving on the security detail for President Obama’s daughters and had just seen the family depart via helicopter minutes earlier. He happened to be in the executive mansion when chaos broke out and the intruder dashed through the main foyer, according to two people familiar with the incident.
The Post report on Gonzalez, said Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), “turned upside down” previous official claims that Gonzalez was subdued just inside the White House. Pierson did not reveal during her testimony that the agent who tackled Gonzalez was not assigned to the post where he confronted the intruder, but she did share that information with committee members during the subsequent closed-door meeting, according to Rep. Gerald E. Connelly (D-Va.).
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. The agent, who previously worked as a counterassault team member, could easily have been outside or on his way home, according to people familiar with the incident.
“We all are outraged . . . it is obvious that mistakes were made,” she said No officers are assigned to guard the steps to the Obama family’s private living quarters when the first family is not in the complex.
“I take full responsibility,’’ she added. “What happened is unacceptable.” “There’s no telling how long this guy could have run around if the detail guy hadn’t happened to be there,” one person said on the condition of anonymity.
But Pierson acknowledged that — until after the Sept. 19 breach — the Secret Service did not have the ability to remotely lock or unlock the front door of the White House. The bolt had to be turned by hand, in person. Lawmakers from both parties criticized Pierson and her agency for giving misleading and partial accounts of the security breach.
“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.” “Whistleblowers were helpful both to us and to the press. We were not getting the depth of the problem [from the information provided by the Secret Service]. We now have a better understanding,” said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the committee. “I think it’s very clear that the problems of the Secret Service are all fixable: human error, training, morale — these are things that can be fixed.”
But members of the committe were withering in their attacks. Pierson said 16 people have come over the White House fence in the past five years, including the six in the past year. Gonzalez is the first known to have jumped the fence and made it inside the executive mansion.
“Have you ever heard of these guys?” asked Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), holding up the blue logo of ADT, a well-known home security company. “We all are outraged. . . . It is obvious that mistakes were made,” she said. “I take full responsibility. What happened is unacceptable.”
Chaffetz also sharply criticized the low-grade response apparently displayed after Army veteran Omar Gonzalez scaled the White House fence and raced across the lawn. Pierson acknowledged that — until after the Sept. 19 breach — the Secret Service did not have the ability to remotely lock or unlock the front door of the White House. The bolt had to be turned by hand.
“If you project weakness, it invites attacks,” Chaffetz declared. “We need overwhelming force . . . not restraint.” “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 Secret Service, added Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), needs a “21st century makeover.” But members of the committee were withering in their criticism.
The bashing by lawmakers went beyond perceived failings in Piersons’s management of the agency. Lawmakers interpreted her cool, measured responses as evasive and defensive. “Have you ever heard of these guys?” asked Rep. John L. Mica (R-Fla.), holding up the blue logo of ADT, the home security company.
“I wish to God you protected the White House like you’re protecting your reputation today,” said Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.). The bashing by lawmakers went beyond perceived failings in Pierson’s management of the agency. Lawmakers interpreted her cool, measured responses as evasive and defensive.
“I wish to God you protected the White House like you’re protecting your reputation today,” Lynch said.
Pierson replied that the Secret Service does not “take any of these incidents lightly.”Pierson replied that the Secret Service does not “take any of these incidents lightly.”
“I don’t think you’re taking it seriously,’’ Lynch answered. “I don’t think you’re taking it seriously,” Lynch answered.
He then added: “I’m sorry. I hate to be critical, but we have a lot at stake here. I got to call it like it is. I have very low confidence in the Secret Service under your leadership.” He then added: “I’m sorry. I hate to be critical, but we have a lot at stake here. I’ve got to call it like it is. I have very low confidence in the Secret Service under your leadership.”
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 criticism 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 criticism when one agent on assignment in the Netherlands was found passed out in a hotel hallway after a night of drinking.
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.
Pierson was peppered with questions about the gunfire even though it occurred before her time as director. At one point, she said one impediment to determining that shots had been fired was the fact that the attack occurred at night.Pierson was peppered with questions about the gunfire even though it occurred before her time as director. At one point, she said one impediment to determining that shots had been fired was the fact that the attack occurred at night.
“Can you not hear at night?” yelled Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.). Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) quipped that perhaps agents could have deployed flashlights. “Can you not hear at night?” yelled Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.).
Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) quipped that perhaps agents could have deployed flashlights.
A federal grand jury on Tuesday charged Gonzalez with one federal count of entering a restricted building or grounds while carrying a deadly or dangerous weapon. He was also charged with two violations of District laws: carrying a dangerous weapon outside a home or business and unlawful possession of ammunition.
The D.C. weapons charge carries up to a five-year prison sentence, and the ammunition count up to one year in prison.
Brian Murphy contributed to this report.