White House fence-jumper made it far deeper into building than previously known

[bigworld]

Source: Washington Post

The man who jumped the White House fence this month and sprinted through the front door made it much farther into the building than previously known, overpowering one Secret Service officer and running through much of the main floor, according to three people familiar with the incident.

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 on the condition of anonymity.

The officer posted inside the front door appeared to be delayed in learning that the intruder, Omar Gonzalez, was about to burst through. Officers are trained that, upon learning of an intruder on the grounds, often through the alarm boxes posted around the property, they must immediately lock the front door.

After barreling 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.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-fence-jumper-made-it-far-deeper-into-building-than-previously-known/2014/09/29/02efd53e-47ea-11e4-a046-120a8a855cca_story.html

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He made it all the way into the East Room. In one of the allegedly most secure buildings on Earth?! This is Keystone Kops level incompetence.

[C Moon]

1. Damn!

[ginnyinWI]

2. Hope this teaches them a lesson

not to be so complacent after this. Sheesh. One of the family could have been walking down that hallway!

[atreides1]

31. That's assuming....

...that it wasn't done intentionally!

And with the number of racists in Congress...I wouldn't be that surprised that the Secret Service has its share...either that or the Secret Service was pissed about what happened in Columbia and didn't get the free pass that they've possibly received in the past, under other Presidents!

[bigworld]

3. Here's a map courtesy of TPM

[mahannah]

4. Our tax dollars at work.

[zonkers]

5. If I was O., I'd pack a piece, get a tougher dog and keep geese in a pen outside my bedroom.

[Historic NY]

6. They need to stand down this duty crew and send in

replacements. No one should be ording changes to security devices or alarms except the from the highest Secret Service directors.

[red dog 1]

14. + 1000

[yeoman6987]

7. The White House needs to fire the head

Of the secret service. Whoever it is, is doing the worst job probably since Reagan was shot. Wouldn't surprise me if it is the same person. Time for them to go!

[bigworld]

8. I can't see her lasting too long

http://www.secretservice.gov/director.shtml

[yeoman6987]

9. Good! I didn't know who it was

But regardless she is making a laughing stock out of the Secret Service.

[Laurian]

10. Didn't they just replace the Director after the Colombia sex scandal?

I think a woman has been in charge since. Somebody needs to crack some heads and improve the shitty attitude and incompetence in the service.

[WinkyDink]

19. Past time, IMO.

[The Traveler]

11. I have a very bad feeling about this.

The Secret Service is not known for being incompetent. Now they can't seem to defend the White House from a single guy armed with a knife? That doesn't add up for me. Something is seriously amiss.

Trav

[WinkyDink]

20. Agreed. Deeply, perhaps treasonously, serious.

[IDemo]

26. No incompetence, save that drug and prostitution thing, maybe...

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/secret-service-agents-forced-amid-prostitution-investigation/story?id=16164647

[mnhtnbb]

12. Muting alarms? WTF? That's like disabling smoke detectors.

Something stinks...and I hope whatever--whomever--is quickly removed.

Criminy.

[red dog 1]

13. K&R...Thanks for posting, bigworld

IMO, this is far worse than "Keystone Kops level incompetence"; and heads should roll.

Perhaps it's time for Julia Pierson to step down as Director of Secret Service?



From yesterday's New York Times:

"Secret Service Chief Reviews White House Breaches",
by Steve Kenny and Brian Knowlton..September 28, 2014

"The Director, Julia Pierson, is scheduled to testify on Tuesday before a special House committee that was called after the Sept. 19 security breech in which a man climbed the Pennsylvania Avenue fence, dashed across the North Lawn and into the White House itself."

(I couldn't find a direct link to the NYT article)
.Google:'Secret Service Chief Reviews White House Breaches&quot

[Dreamer Tatum]

15. that's what she said nt

[Jackpine Radical]

16. Put it in the same pot with this, stew it a little & see what you think of the result:

If the news of a knife-wielding man getting access to the White House last week didn’t disturb you enough, late Saturday evening The Washington Post published a terrifying expose of never previously reported failures of the Secret Service to protect the Obama family. The Obama family has been repeatedly put into what can only amount to shameful peril, at the hands of a Secret Service that can’t logically be this incompetent.

According to a Washington Post report written by Carol D. Leonnig that looks to have been tirelessly researched and backed up by multiple accounts, including “interviews with agents, investigators and other government officials with knowledge about the shooting”, Oscar R. Ortega-Hernandez used a semiautomatic rifle to shoot “directly at the home of the president of the United States, and pulled the trigger.”

At least 7 bullets hit the upstairs residence of the White House. Bullets hit steps from the First Family’s living room, others hit a window frame, the roof. All while Sasha and the First Lady’s mom were in residence and as Malia was expected home at any moment.

This is bad enough. But what makes this alarming is the fact that after these shots were fired into or at the residence of the White House, a Secret Service supervisor issued a stand down order, saying there were no shots fired. This supervisor claimed the noises were the backfiring of a vehicle, even as agents were preparing to defend the White House. The supervisor issued a stand down order, per the Post: “No shots have been fired. Stand down.”

It took four days for the Secret Service to realize that shots had been fired at the White House. They only finally realized this because of the discoveries of a white House housekeeper (who should receive an award).

This is not the result of chaos in the line of fire. This is simply incomprehensible. The only way this level of incompetence makes sense is if someone or several someones in the Secret Service have an agenda to fail to protect the First Family.

[Hubert Flottz]

23. I agree!

Holdovers from Jeb's Florida Crew?

[titaniumsalute]

33. What's the source on this please??

[Jackpine Radical]

37. Here--

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/09/28/shameful-peril-secret-service-shots-fired-white-house-residence-daughter-sasha-home.html

[titaniumsalute]

39. Thank you!

[Jackpine Radical]

40. The story appears in a number of places. This one just happens

to be the one I found when I was googling for an account of the event.

[bigwillq]

17. Fire the security staff ASAP. (nt)

[WinkyDink]

18. "appeared to be delayed"---THEREIN lies the truth of this episode, if the authorities can trace it.

[Paladin]

21. Absolutely inexcusable.

I hope that major action is taken immediately against all who allowed this incident to transpire.

[ChazInAz]

22. My first thought.

Could there be any holdover Bushie moles still in the SS?

[Hubert Flottz]

24. Mine too.

I can't believe that a man as supposedly bright as president Obama would STILL, have faith in any republican in America.

[AZ Progressive]

28. Maybe Obama was forced to?

[underpants]

25. This was reported on RW radio with noticeable glee

near encouragement.

Frightening.

[freshwest]

35. Absolutely. And I didn't know he got that far. It's scary.

[titaniumsalute]

34. I've had friends in the Secret Service

They have served multiple Presidents. It is a job, career, lifestyle regardless of the President and staff at the time. Police Officers don't change when there is a new Chief or Mayor. Same with Secret Service. Their duty is to protect. Period.

[Hubert Flottz]

45. "Their duty is to protect"

Well your "Friends" haven't been doing a very good job of guarding the POTUS lately. And their bosses don't seem to teach, connect the dots, very effectively in their 18 weeks of schooling. How many guns and maps does someone need to show up with around the beltway, to arouse suspicion? Now we find out that the SS had several leads, on this intruder, including a record of severe mental problems and still the man got into one of the "most secure" buildings in the country.

They failed to stop him at the fence, they failed to release the guard dog, they failed to stop him with the rifle team or the guard at the door, the alarm was turned off, they all failed to stop him, until he had invaded half the downstairs of the building and the man had a weapon on his person. They failed to connect all the many dots, leading up to the intrusion.

What did the patriot act do to thwart this attack...Oh Okay, no more, "Stovepiping?"

[titaniumsalute]

47. The Patriot Act??

OK, first off you are correct that there was a HUGE breach in security. There is a HUGE problem with the leadership of the Secret Service. I think the Director needs to be terminated and replaced immediately.

However, you also need to look at success. Who was the last president shot? What year was it in? How about VPs? Presidential candidates? First ladies of the POTUS and VPOTUS? Secretaries of State and Defense? Nope. None of them assassinated.

You have a group of people who are basically prepared to take a bullet for these politicians, family members, etc. no matter which side of the political island they are on. It frankly is a very boring job most of the time. The pay is mediocre at best.

I know I know...you have an opinion and blah blah blah. So please go on your merry way. The secret service sucks, they've done a terrible job for the past 34 years....you could do much better. Please...sign up and take on the responsibility.

[AZ Progressive]

27. I guess we can see who is really in power of the executive branch...

[NickB79]

29. I'll say it: they should have shot and killed him before he got to the doors

When this story first broke, people here at DU were talking about how the Secret Service showed such restraint and were so humane as to not shoot the intruder.

Fuck that. This man was a clear threat, and lethal force was more than warranted. The more I read of this, the more pissed I am that they DIDNT shoot this ass-clown.

[Hubert Flottz]

30. I agree.

I believe they would have if they were protecting a Bush.

[titaniumsalute]

36. I think you are sorely mistaken and gravely wrong in your statement

I have friends who work in the secret service. Their job is to protect...just like most cops. They are highly trained and it is their careers, politics aside. Your conspiracy tin foil hat is a little out of line.

[FiveGoodMen]

41. Just because there are good ones does not prove that there are no bad ones

[Hubert Flottz]

42. Think whatever you like TS...

That's what made America great for years.(freedom)

[titaniumsalute]

44. What the hell does that mean?

Sarcasm is great...when it makes sense.

[Hubert Flottz]

46. What's up with all your personal attacks on everyone who

don't sing your tune? I have my guesses.

[Purveyor]

32. This took place 4 minutes 'after' the President and family took off from the WH.

Random incident or perhaps Gonzalez was delayed, fully expecting to engage the President.

Indeed, somethings stinks to high heaven here and it is worrisome.

Perhaps a special delivery message to the President that you aren't that 'protected' after all?

Just saying...

[Lost In America]

38. Well it's a good thing the fence shooter didn't talk to Jeff Gannon.

Otherwise he'd know exactly where the President's bedroom was.

[Hubert Flottz]

43. More and more keeps coming out on this intruder and

what the authorities new about him and "my tin foil hat" is beginning to tingle.