King Continues to Press White House for Critical Information on State Dinner Security Breach
Files FOIA Request with White House Demanding Documents Related to Incident
December 15, 2009
Today, U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request (see here) to the White House pressing for documents related to the November 24 security breach at the State Dinner in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“The White House has refused from day one to cooperate with the Committee’s investigation into this shocking and unacceptable lapse in presidential security,” King said. “The Secret Service Director has stepped forward to accept responsibility, but the White House -- which has advocated transparency -- has continued to stonewall by refusing to account for the role of the White House staff in this incident.
“We know that representatives from the White House Social Office were integrally involved in the planning for this State Dinner, yet the White House has refused to allow Social Secretary Desiree Rogers to testify about the role she or her staff had in the decision to overturn a longtime practice of positioning a White House staffer at the entry gate to check in guests.”
Ranking Member King, with the approval of Chairman Bennie Thompson, first invited Desiree Rogers to testify at the Committee’s December 3 hearing on the incident. After the White House refused to allow her testimony, King sought to subpoena her, along with Tareq and Michaele Salahi, to testify at an upcoming January 20 hearing. The Committee, on a nearly party-line vote, refused to subpoena Rogers.
Last week, King sent a letter to Rogers asking 15 questions that he would have asked had she appeared before the Committee. The White House has yet to respond.
King on the Issues
King, Meehan Urge Secretary Clinton to Designate Boko Haram as Foreign Terrorist Organization - Deeply concerned that Boko Haram’s tactics, targeting, and fundraising operations appear to be increasingly international in scope, including within the U.S. Homeland - 4/2/2012 - See More.
King Statement on Islamist Terrorist Murders in France - Chairman Cites Recent Committee Hearings Warning of Islamist Radicalization and the Threat of Similar Attacks - 3/23/2012 - See More.
King Announces Hearing on Iran/Hezbollah Threat to U.S. Homeland - Hearing will focus on the real potential that Iran will activate its network of operatives to carry out an attack in the U.S. - 3/14/2012 - See More.
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