EMAIL DETAILS

Secret Service agents investigated for driving car into White House barrier
- The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/secret-service-agents-investigated-for-late-night-car-accident-at-white-house/2015/03/11/9c853906-c7ff-11e4-a199-6cb5e63819d2_story.html?postshare=6791426109803000

Secret Service agents investigated for driving car into White House barrier

The administration is investigating allegations that two senior Secret
Service agents, including a top member of President Obama’s protective
detail, drove a government car into White House security barricades after
drinking at a late-night party last week, an agency official said Wednesday.

Officers on duty who witnessed the March 4 incident wanted to arrest the
agents and conduct sobriety tests, according to a current and a former
government official familiar with the incident. But the officers were
ordered by a supervisor on duty that night to let the agents go home, said
these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the
sensitive internal matter.

Agency spokesman Brian Leary confirmed the investigation after an inquiry
from The Washington Post, saying the Secret Service was “aware of the
allegations of misconduct involving two of our employees.” He declined to
specify which allegations are the focus of the inquiry, which he said will
be pursued by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general.

Leary said officials have briefed Joseph P. Clancy, who was named by Obama
last month to head the agency following a string of embarrassing security
lapses.

A law enforcement official said that Clancy on Monday directed the agency
to contact the inspector general’s office about taking over the case in
part because it involves such senior officials.

“If misconduct is identified, appropriate action will be taken based on
established rules and regulations,” Leary said. He added that the agency
“will fully cooperate” with the inspector general’s office.

*[Some in Congress still unsure if Secret Service has made enough changes
at top
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/some-in-congress-still-unhappy-with-changes-at-top-level-of-secret-service/2015/01/29/fa6a57ae-9d93-11e4-bcfb-059ec7a93ddc_story.html>]*

An administration official said that, in “recent days,” the White House had
been “made aware of the allegations and the steps being taken by the Secret
Service to ensure that the incident is thoroughly investigated.”

The agents under investigation are Mark Connolly, the second-in-command on
Obama’s detail, and George Ogilvie, a senior supervisor in the Washington
field office.

Connolly and Ogilvie declined to comment through the Secret Service
spokesman.

Witnesses reported that the car’s overhead flashing lights had been
activated and both agents were showing their badges to get through a
section of the grounds that had been closed off due to an investigation of
a suspicious package, according to the people familiar with the incident.
The vehicle ran through security tape before hitting the barricades, which
an agency official said had been set up temporarily during the
investigation into the package.

*[Four top Secret Service executives told to leave their posts in agency
shake-up
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/4-top-secret-service-executives-told-to-leave-their-posts-in-agency-shake-up/2015/01/14/a084b164-9c1f-11e4-96cc-e858eba91ced_story.html>]*

Secret Service rules prohibit turning on flashing lights without a security
reason and driving a government vehicle after drinking alcohol.

The two men had been attending a party at a nearby downtown Washington bar
to honor the retirement of departing Secret Service spokesman Edwin
Donovan.

Julie Tate contributed to this report.


Eric D. Schwerin
eschwerin@rosemontseneca.com

Sent from my iPhon