The Secret Service is conducting an internal investigation into how an intruder entered the White House on Friday, but Congress may not be far behind.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on national security, called the intrusion “totally unacceptable” and hinted Friday he’ll be taking a closer look at White House security.
“Been investigating the Secret Service for some time,” Chaffetz said on Twitter. “Frustrating. Good men and women but HUGE question marks for their leadership.”
In an earlier tweet, Chaffetz said there were “unreported incidents,” of issues concerning vulnerability and the Secret Service.
“I will continue to push,” Chaffetz tweeted.
In Friday’s incident, a man scaled a fence on the north lawn and darted into the White House before Secret Service agents apprehended him.
The Secret Service has identified the intruder as Omar J. Gonzalez, a 42-year-old white male. A Secret Service official told the Washington Examiner Gonzalez was unarmed and taken to a hospital for an evaluation.
The officials said the Secret Service is conducting an investigation and will look into reports that agents refrained from firing at Gonzalez because he was unarmed.
Gonzalez made it into the White House shortly after President Obama and one of his daughters had left the building.
Conservative watchdog Tom Fitton, who is president of Judicial Watch, pointed out that the Secret Service operates with a $1.6 billion budget, which “doesn’t stop a lunatic from jumping fence and running through White House front door.”
