Report: Secret Service Lied About White House Fence Jumper

[MerryBlooms]

Omar Gonzalez, the White House fence-jumper from earlier this month, apparently surprised the guard at the front door because a nearby alarm box had been muted:

After barrelling past the guard immediately inside the door, Gonzalez, who was carrying a knife, dashed past the stairway leading a half-flight up to the first family’s living quarters. He then ran into the 80-foot-long East Room, an ornate space often used for receptions or presidential addresses.

Gonzalez was tackled by a counter-assault agent at the far southern end of the East Room. The intruder reached the doorway to the Green Room, a parlor overlooking the South Lawn with artwork and antique furniture, according to three people familiar with the incident.

Secret Service officials had earlier said he was quickly detained at the main entry. Agency spokesman Edwin Donovan said the office is not commenting due to an ongoing investigation of the incident.

So....they just lied?

On a related note, I wonder who the whistleblowers are that have been feeding all this stuff to WaPo's Carol Leonnig? Not that it matters, I suppose, but I'm curious about whether it's folks who are appalled by the security lapses or folks who have some other kind of axe to grind.

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/09/report-secret-service-lied-about-white-house-fence-jumper

Eesh. :/

[Gidney N Cloyd]

1. OMG. I wonder if the only thing that really slowed him down was not knowing the layout of the place?

[MerryBlooms]

4. Yeah, scary stuff.

[Grey]

33. Then the washington post prints a blueprint

of the first floor and points out where the family has meals and where to find the staircase.
Maybe hoping next time someone will get lucky? Just wondering.....

[BlancheSplanchnik]

42. jeeeezus h. christ

[Jackpine Radical]

67. The floor plan is widely available online.

Just Google "white house floor plan" & see what all you get.

That said, I have elsewhere expressed my serious questions, not jut ab out this breach and coverup, but also the incident of the guy who fired at least 7 rounds into the White House & the SS commander rdered a stand-down & denied that any shots were fired.

It's enough to make you entertain the possibility that the SS is setting up a potential LIHOP.

But of course I'm not that paranoid.

[Louisiana1976]

2. I wonder what motivated the Secret Service to lie about the fence jumper. Would they have lied if

Obama and his family were white?

[MerryBlooms]

5. I don't know what the deal is, but the shit going on is unacceptable.

[Sopkoviak]

10. I wonder if Reagan would have been shot

If he had been a Democrat?

Good grief, some people.

[brush]

79. Ahhh . . . he was shot. nt

[former9thward]

13. JFK was white.

And there were book fulls of lies told about that.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

49. ummmm...they lied cuz they fucked up royal?

That's a pretty typical motivation for lying.

[hughee99]

56. Probably not. I'm sure they don't mind admitting a spectacular failure on their part

as long as the president is white.

[Capt. Obvious]

61. They're trying to distract form Benghazi

[treestar]

95. It would not have happened to lie about

As they would have been on the job mentally.

[myrna minx]

3. Good lord...

[lpbk2713]

6. Just like Faux Snooze ...

"When nothing else works just make shit up."

[Cali_Democrat]

7. Thank god the Obama's weren't home

Those children are probably scared though.

[former9thward]

14. Why would they be scared?

They were not there.

[Cali_Democrat]

15. Well think about it

Those girls now know it's possible for some nutjob with a weapon to make it all the way into the house.

That's a scary thing.

[former9thward]

17. The girls are teenagers.

They are capable of rational thought and would not be any more scared than their parents. They know they are surrounded at all times by dozens of armed guards. They will be more scared when they move back to Chicago -- which I predict will never happen.

[Cali_Democrat]

23. Yes..they are surrounded by incompetent guards who let an intruder with a weapon

get all the way to the East room.

[Kingofalldems]

31. Wow. Your post looks like a disguised attack on the Obamas to me.

[former9thward]

34. Wow.

Your post looks like ....

[JI7]

43. disguised ?

nothing disguised about it

[heaven05]

46. I agree

[former9thward]

57. Since you agree, how is it an attack?

[former9thward]

55. How is it an attack?

[heaven05]

45. I agree

[BlancheSplanchnik]

52. why would they be scared? because they're human?

The limbic system reacts, hormones get released, fight-or-flight reaction happens whether you're rational or irrational, adult or kid, whatever.

Anyone who's got emotions and at least a modicum of empathy should understand that.

[sheshe2]

59. Holy....

Blanche, there are times I believe that DU has a never ending case of ODS.

Some here believe that the children/ young women, are blissfully unaware of the hate aimed at their mother and father and yes themselves.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

89. maybe it's just that some ultra-geeky people really lack emotional connection?

I don't know what's going on with the individual.

Might be emotionally flat, might be ODS...might be gas.

[sheshe2]

90. Oh shit!

"Might be emotionally flat, might be ODS...might be gas."



I just lol very loudly~

[BlancheSplanchnik]

96. i cracked myself up on that one too!

[ballyhoo]

58. I wouldn't go to Chicago in a suit

of armor. Of all the cities I've been in my lifetime, that was the most dangerous.

[former9thward]

62. I lived there for many years.

Many people replying seem to think the White House is a more dangerous place. It is not.

[ballyhoo]

63. I was there during the 1968 Democratic Convention. I

got in a couple of fights with Daly's policemen. Had no choice. They were beating up women, almost at will.

[former9thward]

65. We may have bumped into each other.

I was in Lincoln Park. Only went downtown once. I slept in some church at the corner of the park. I was 17 at the time. Those were the days ....

[ballyhoo]

71. I was 22. I think I was at Lincoln Park too, but I'm not sure. I

was next to a major road where a bunch of cops stopped a lady and drug her out of the car and started beating her up. Her kid was still in the car. It was on all the news. One of those cops will think twice about ever doing that again. There were a bunch of us on that street that night, and no one was happy with what they saw. But, then, as you remember, cops beating up woman was rather rare in those days, even in Chicago. Now, with the lack of right from wrong guidance, it's not so rare.

[ballyhoo]

66. I would not be surprised if they move out for a while until

there is some kind of fix done. This thing happening will ripple big waves. I heard static on all radio stations I listened to today.

[MADem]

80. They use Camp David a lot.

They are there on the weekends a lot. I'd just work outta there, make the Marine helo unit and the guys with the hard cars work a bit.

[ballyhoo]

85. Well, I think the whole family should go there. The message

of the loose security will be relayed to interested parties, I would bet. They could say they were having the place's security redone.

[MADem]

86. There's a really NICE pool there. And it's peaceful and relaxed--and well guarded.

It's an easy ride from DC by air.

[ballyhoo]

88. I think the older girl has a job working

for Stevie Spielberg.

[MADem]

91. Isn't she in school? At Sidwell?

She just turned sixteen, and she has her learner's permit. http://www.inquisitr.com/1442090/malia-obama-president-obamas-daughter-is-a-good-tipper-d-c-waitress-claims/

[JI7]

40. it's usually scary to think of people breaking into where you live whether or not you are there

[mopinko]

75. wtf is wrong with you?

are you so full of yourself that other people's humanity is just invisible?
young people who have lived with threats to their father and their entire family for the last nearly 8 years.
man.

check your pulse. you might already be dead.

[KT2000]

18. As I understand it -

One of the girls was home and the other daughter was on her way home.

[former9thward]

35. No, you are confusing incidents.

When the intruder came no one was at home. They had left for Camp David. When the gunshots were fired in 2011 one of the girls was at home and one was on their way home.

President Barack Obama and his daughters had just departed the White House on Friday evening when an intruder scaled the north fence, darted across the lawn and into the presidential residence, where agents nabbed him.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/security-breached-intruder-white-house-25643128

[KT2000]

92. Right!

too many incidents!

[Major Hogwash]

28. Sounds to me like they were lucky this time.

This sort of thing shouldn't be happening, in any case.

[Glimmer of Hope]

8. Unacceptable! Good grief.

[madokie]

9. unconfirmed reports

people who want to talk off record all the same. More than likely what they're saying is bullshit straight from bullshit mountain.

I find it hard to believe that some people will believe anything printed as long as it fits their narrative of what they think is how things are.

Tell me who's saying what then I might believe it otherwise its gossip LOL

[Aerows]

22. Who is going to say

on the record "I fucked up on my primary job responsibility in a spectacular fashion"?

Because that's exactly what happened.

[drray23]

11. just heard the report on npr

It was surreal. The Washington post reporter described how this guy blew past five supposedly redundant security layers. First, the cop on the street outside the fence, then an alarm supposed to trigger when somebody jump the fence, the canine which was not released, the emergency response team who could not tackle him outside, the agent who instead of being in front of the door was on the side.

We are lucky this guy only had a knife and not a bomb or high powered weapon.
I am not one for conspiracy theories but its almost as if the agents were asked to stand down. It was reported that the alarm was disabled, the dogs were not released on purpose and the agent at the door was not paying attention.
If that is not a deliberate act, this raises to the level of massive incompetence.

[MerryBlooms]

12. Yes, surreal is the perfect word.

The tale gets more bizarre by the day.

[lpbk2713]

16. That might be the inherent problem with so much security.

Everyone is thinking "someone else will handle it so I don't have to put my crossword puzzle down".

I hope it's a lot more difficult to get to the second floor so the girls are safe.

[MerryBlooms]

24. But to have the alarm box muted... someone needs to lose their job.

[lpbk2713]

26. It might have been a really tough crossword.

[riderinthestorm]

27. I just heard that report too. The reporter actually saw the security camera footage

Unbelievable (in the worst way)

[grasswire]

30. and the door was not locked.

another layer

[heaven05]

47. could all this

just be letting people know how to get to THIS POTUS???? Diagrams of white house, how many levels of security breached, living quarter diagram. Something is amiss. With all the racist pigs out there chomping at the bit to make bundy proud, this is really stupid and totally incompetent.....nothing will surprise me at all in the upcoming year. Especially with RW hate radio and television agitating hate in a manner that would make Goebbels proud.

[drray23]

50. i was surprised

That the details of the security measures were openly discussed. Likewise in this report they indicate that past the door is a flight of stairs leading to the living quarters. The guy blew past them. The next intruder might not.

[JimDandy]

51. Yes, deliberate or massive incompetence.

I hope they've all been fired, because either scenario is unacceptable.

[KT2000]

19. My guess is someone on behalf

of the Obama's. How else is he going to get a Secret Service detail that will truly protect him and his family. Who does he go to for help with what appears to be either incompetent SS or something more intentional.

[MerryBlooms]

25. Or an agent who saw or reported flaws and felt wasn't heard or ignored, maybe.

[wheniwasincongress]

20. I always thought people outside the fence were watched like hawks

Even people a couple of blocks away. I can't believe this happened.

[Aerows]

21. Good grief

This is worse than I thought.

[riderinthestorm]

29. Be careful, there's a DU contingent that automatically hates any whistleblowers

On any part of this administration...

[steve2470]

32. my initial reaction was that the Secret Service needed a thorough assessment...

I think I was proven right by this. This is, at minimum, massive incompetence.

[riderinthestorm]

36. Oh absolutely agreed. My post was just reminding the OP

That whistleblowers on any issues/problems by any part of this Admin tend to be accused of garage boxes, pole dancing girl friends, narcissism, lying, treason and more...

I'm deeply skeptical this was incompetence. From the NPR report, the guy guarding the stairs to the Presidents residence drew his gun but didn't fire, just watched this guy run by. The guy handling the attack dog didn't release him to grab the guy. The alarm was muted. Etc etc etc

Its pretty bad and deeply suspicious.

[logosoco]

37. If this is really what happened...

it seems like cops throughout the country are working in overkill mode while security at the WH is lax.

Interesting times, indeed.

[WheelWalker]

81. I appreciate the way your mind works. Interesting, indeed.

[TBF]

38. Latest Borowitz update (satire):

Andy Borowitz
Monday, September 29 at 5:50pm ·
Secret Service Update: According to new reports, White House intruder Omar Gonzales made it to the Oval Office and was on the phone with Putin before he was caught.


While funny, you have to wonder what the hell the SS is doing. If I were Obama I wouldn't be thrilled about that lapse.

[deafskeptic]

84. Indeed. If I were Obama, I'd be livid.

I don't like the reports as they raise disturbing questions about whether or not our President and his family are truly safe even with the SS around them.


It also makes me wonder if the next POTUS can truly count on the ss to protect him/her and family.

[Historic NY]

39. It long overdue, but they need to be long gone from the WH....

perhaps commuting to various banks and other locations picking up photocopied phoney money is up to their speed.

[LisaL]

41. They also claimed at first that he wasn't armed.

Which was not true either. He had a knife.

[malaise]

44. Everyone who was on duty that night must be fired

This is madness

[Historic NY]

54. YES!!!

[MerryBlooms]

69. I agree 100%. Complete negligence on the part of the SS. Unbelievable.

[suffragette]

77. Scary shit

Absolutely agree about firing them. And they need to find out why the alarm was turned off and who made that decision.

[MADem]

97. The guy who tackled him was technically OFF duty. He'd just put his charge on the helo.

The only reason he was even there to grab the guy is because he was cutting through the WH on his way home!

[Hubert Flottz]

48. People who lie about something as critical as...

this incident, should be fired and maybe jailed.

[drray23]

53. rep cummings on chris hayes

Is making a good point. The ss could barely tackle one guy after he ran through half the whitehouse. What if there had been 12 or 13 of them at once ? They would have overwhelmed the security. Scary.

[MerryBlooms]

68. There are a lot of security folks that need to be out of a job. NOW

[FlatStanley]

60. I don't care if the have an axe to grind or not.

What will really prove interesting if the whistleblowers will be prosecuted like all the others who have shed light.

[riderinthestorm]

64. +1000. Charge Him under the Espionage Act! Nt

[FlatStanley]

87. I'm sure that will happen!

[kath]

70. 3rd grade English lesson:

An apostrophe is never used to form a plural.
the Obama family is referred to as "the Obamas."
Likewise we have: the Joneses
The Smiths
The Edwardses
The Bushes
The Browns
The Lincolns
The Hatfields
The McCoys

[MerryBlooms]

73. I'm sure you're sending a complaint email to motherjones as I type...

[Iggo]

72. Those damned racists!

[MerryBlooms]

74. How does your comment make any sense, and why are you feigning hysterical laughter?

[Iggo]

93. It ain't hysterical, and I ain't feigning.

I'm laughing at you, for real.

[MerryBlooms]

94. Well, okie dokie then.

[PuppyBismark]

76. What if this had been 100 people jumping the fence with real weapons???

Alarms that tell the SS to lock the doors! No, what is needed are alarms that close and lock the doors automatically. One might ask why the doors are unlocked at any time.

This lack of security will encourage certain groups in this country and outside to start planning to invade the White House.

It seems to me that the whole security infrastructure needs to be quickly examined and significantly upgraded. It just can't be that easy for anyone to invade the White House in this day and age.


Unacceptable!!!!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

78. Lies? Or just another of those "least untruthful" truths made popular by the NSA?

[kelliekat44]

83. "muted" alarm..failed assassination attempt or trial runl