White House Gate Crashers
 

Ed Rollins, CNN Senior Political Contributor

New York (CNN) -- The gate crashers Michaele and Tareq Salahi want to be famous as stars of reality television. I am all for that. Give them a reality television series and call it "Trial and Jailtime" in the D.C. criminal justice system. This despicable, desperate, duplicitous couple disgraced the Secret Service and embarrassed the president in his home.

They totally overshadowed the president's meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the leader of an important ally. The incident made the Obamas' first state dinner, honoring the prime minister and his wife, Gursharan Kaur, fodder for comedians -- and it certainly raises security concerns for other world leaders visiting at later dates.

The gate-crashers need to be held accountable and not glorified.

Unless they have some excuse we haven't heard yet, the Salahis deserve to be charged with criminal trespassing and lying to federal officers for starters. Yes, they dressed for the occasion, but the Salahis are no different, and shouldn't be regarded any differently, than a nut case who jumps over the White House fence and tries to run in the front door. The only difference is that the fence-jumper would be shot ten feet from his entrance point.

I worked in a couple of White Houses and have always had the greatest respect for the Secret Service. These men and women put their lives on the line daily and often serve in long and tedious tours of duty.

I worked in the White House when President Reagan was shot and I saw the extraordinary bravery of Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy, who was critically wounded when he took a bullet in the stomach after turning and putting his body between the president and the shooter, John Hinckley. But for all the bravery of its agents, the Secret Service lives in a world that demands zero defects.

So I have to tell you I am appalled at the comments by the Secret Service spokesman who was described as saying it hadn't been determined whether party-crashing is technically illegal. He went on to say he didn't believe the Salahis posed a security risk. Spin control is not needed now. Responsibility is the key word.

Trespassing is illegal. How does the Secret Service know whether the Salahis were a risk or not? The service apparently had not done a background check on them -- unlike every other guest and government employee in the tent that night -- because they weren't on the invitation list.


link

Anyone else suprised by the gall of these 2.

IMHO, these folks did the Secret Service a favor. Having someone who wishes no harm to the Pres gate crash beats the alternative. If security has holes that huge, we're just lucky it was these folks and someone else.

Well the 'alternative' would have just intesified the situation. Sure we can say that 'it wasn't that bad' because no one was hurt but you would think in this day and age AT THE WHITE HOUSE, someone would have been on their job.

I do find it strangely hilarious that these 2 want 6 figures for interviews which they will probably need towards legal fees should the government decide to pursue criminal charges.

Just as the peice said...anyone hopping the fence would have been dropped almost the moment they got on the grounds...so what happened here?

Well, I'm not even sure what laws were broken... criminal trespass? Is there even a felony here? It sounds like the DOJ is just as unsure as to whether a serious crime here happened or not.

And not all criminal defenses cost 6-figures (or even close). There wouldn't be much reason for trial. All of the facts are basically stipulated to at this point. The only question is which and whether any laws were broken.

The author here seems to be suggesting an example be made out of these two and that Obama should then turn around and pardon them. What a waste of taxpayer money that'd be.

Here is an interesting document.


Hehe..for kicks only

Presidential Advance Manual

Now Kevin..obviously I am no lawyer yet, you are...so, here ya go.

What does Federal Trespassing laws state about doing so on Federal property?

I find it interesting that, in support of your disapproval of the gate crashers, you used a photocopy of a manual which has as its first full paragraph:

"Note: It is a violation of Federal law to duplicate or reproduce this manual without permission. It is not to be photocopied or released to anyone outside of the Executive Office of the President, White House Military Office or United States Secret Service. It has been developed for your guidance and is intended for your personal use....

SENSITIVE - DO NOT COPY"

Even if this wasn't your personal Manual, pasting the link here would also be a federal offense, would it not? I don't know how it's done now, but we had to turn ours in for shredding.

Start here: Slate article dated 2007

I am sure this has been updated and changed several times by now.

Well, trespassing on federal property is quite illegal and it is a felony.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18...1----000-.html

Up to 5 years in the pokey for this one -- I doubt that much for these folks though.. although I know about as much as anyone on this thread about the federal sentencing guidelines. I have yet to try my first federal case, although that's on my 'to-do' list.

Cool...so right now, someone has to figure out if they did, indeed...trespass.

Well, not much has changed since I had a manual.

Which begs another question: should the ACLU be prosecuted for putting this information online?

It's been 2 going on 3 years now...haven't heard anything so...uuhh...

The information looks heavily redacted. Probably the result of a FOIA request, so despite the prohibition on reprinting, I think the ACLU is probably in the clear on that issue.

I believe there is more to this than just the Secret Service messing up. I would bet that someone in the Secret Service brought this to someone's attention and was over ruled and told to let them in. The Secret Service does this too often for them to just let anyone in. There are too many checkpoints.

Let's just see who covers their butt and makes the Secret Service the fall guy.

This is what I'm thinking.

I have been to the White House twice, and both times, my name was provided to them ahead of time, and a background check was performed. I was IDed, and my name was checked against a list before entering. There is so much checking and re-checking before anyone is even allowed to think about entering the White House. So why did the Secret Service just let them in?

Personally, I don't think they missed anything.

i saw a photo gallery on aim.com where they met and posed with a lot of people before, such as Fergie, Will. I. Am, Oprah, and Obama himself.

As we come closer to the REAL truth:
 

Oopsies! E-Mails Damage White House Gate Crashers' Claims

Salahis Named in 16 different Civil Suits

This just gets betterer and betterer....hehehe

Screw Tiger, this is the story people should focus on...HA!

This is interesting. From AP.

Excerpts from e-mails exchanged between Tareq and Michaele Salahi and Michele Jones, special assistant to the defense secretary, as part of their effort to obtain an invitation to the Obama administration's first state dinner last week.

Friday, Nov. 20, 4:15 p.m.
To the Salahis' attorney Paul Gardner from his office manager Rosalind Tyner.
Michele S. Jones just called regarding the state dinner at the White House for Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009. I need the following information from Tareq and Michaele Salahi immediately so she can submit their information before 5 p.m. today. Full name, Social Security number, date of birth, citizenship.
------
Friday, Nov. 20, 4:33 p.m.
From Tareq Salahi to Rosalind Tyner, Paul Gardner
Hi Team THANK YOU!!! We are very much looking forward to it!
(Salahi sends Social Security number, date of birth and citizenship for himself and his wife)
------
Friday, Nov. 20, 4:49 p.m.
From Michele Jones to Tareq Salahi
Hopefully I can get tickets for the arrival ceremony ... the state dinner is completely closed and has been for awhile. As soon as I know, I will contact you.
--------
Monday, Nov. 23, 11 a.m.
From Tareq Salahi to Michele Jones
In preparations for tomorrow, do you know what time we would need to be there, and which entrance we should go through?
------
Monday, Nov. 23, 4:12 p.m.
From Michele Jones to Tareq Salahi
I am still hoping that I can get tickets for the arrival ceremony tomorrow. They do have your information in the event that extra tickets become available and will notify me immediately. I still haven't given up, but it doesn't seem likely.
------
Monday, Nov. 23, 4:51 p.m.
From Tareq Salahi to Michele Jones
By the way -- I know for a fact that these persons are unable to attend the state dinner and the reception portion:
1.) Sen. Harry Reid and his wife (they have gone home early for Thanksgiving).
2.) Kuma Gupta and husband (unable to travel to D.C. tomorrow)
3.) Bob Stevens and his wife (top brass from Lockheed Martin)
------
Tuesday, Nov. 24, 8:46 a.m.
From Michele Jones to Tareq Salahi
The arrival ceremony (was scheduled to be outdoors) was canceled due to inclement weather. They are having a very small one inside the WH, very limited space. I am still working on tickets for tonight's dinner. I will call or e-mail as soon as I get word one way or another.
------
Wednesday, Nov. 25, 1:03 a.m.
From Michaele and Tareq Salahi to Michele Jones
Hi Michele,
You are an angel!
My cell phone battery died early this evening while we were in D.C. from our country home, so I just got your message now after driving back out. But obviously it worked out at the end.... We ended up going to the gate to check in at 6:30 p.m. to just check, in case it got approved, since we didn't know, and our name was indeed on the list! We are very grateful, and God bless you.
We just got home, and we had a very wonderful evening as you can imagine!
Look forward to seeing you very soon. Say when for dinner -- we can't wait to see you and catch up and share memories of true lifetime.
------
Wednesday, Nov. 25, 1:38 p.m.
From Michele Jones to Tareq Salahi
Tareq,
You are most welcome! I here the smile in your e-mail and am delighted that you and Michaele had a wonderful time. :-)
Have an extraordinary Thanksgiving and many blessings to you both!
Much love,
Michele

Battery just happen to have died huh?
hehehe

This one hot ghetto mess!

I've only be half heartedly following this story, but ummmm, why did the Secret Service find out about the crashers via FACEBOOK the next day!

Just guessing but I believe they were on someone's auxilliary list. The levels of checking and cross checking stations are just too many for someone to slip through the cracks like this. I believe the Secret Service either thought they were legit or were directed to pass them through.

The W. H. Social Director is supposed to be at the door with his/her associates making sure the list is checked and rechecked. In this case the Social Director put her own name on the invite list and attended the function. Perfectly okay I guess but not the wisest thing to do.

Essentially the W. H. threw the Secret Service under the bus and are now claiming Executive Privilege when it comes to having the Social Directors Office testify. They have made too big a deal out of this and now it may come back and bite them.