Bogus Congressman Said to Get Backstage at Obama Event

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

By Jonathan Allen Oct 3, 2014 12:00 AM ET

An unidentified man posing as a member of Congress made it into a secure area backstage at President Barack Obama’s appearance at a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation awards dinner in Washington Sept. 27, according to a White House official.

The man entered the backstage area during or just after Obama’s speech at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center as members of Congress gathered there to have their pictures taken with the president, said the official, who asked for anonymity to discuss the incident, which has not previously been made public.

It followed presidential security breaches that included a fence-jumper bursting into the White House on Sept. 19 and an armed ex-convict riding in an elevator with Obama in Atlanta a few days before that. Julia Pierson resigned Oct. 1 as director of the Secret Service amid pressure from members of Congress who had lost faith in her ability to protect the president.

The unidentified man said he was Representative Donald Payne Jr., a Democrat from New Jersey, the official said. One member of the White House staff determined that the man wasn’t Payne, and another asked him to leave, the official said. He did so without incident and wasn’t detained.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-03/bogus-congressman-said-to-get-backstage-at-obama-event.html

[drray23]

1. why ?

Why did not they detain it ? Besides the obvious security breach is not it a crime to impersonate a government official ?

[L0oniX]

7. In that case they'd have to arrest half of congress.

a crime to impersonate a government official

[candelista]

10. :)

[philosslayer]

2. This is outrageous!!

It's almost as if they WANT the President in harms way!!!!

[1StrongBlackMan]

9. I'm starting to think ...

all this leaking/reporting of security breaches, just as hate-radio talking heads, rightwing former legislators and former military folks are heating up their language, is to encourage some unhinged nut to try and take a shot at President Obama. (ETA: Wow ... A NPR analyst and Diane Rheems(?) just said the same thing!)

And, when the attempt fails, they'll be on air talking about false flag operations.

[SpankMe]

3. Bogus congressman. So, Darryl Issa was there? n/t

[L0oniX]

4. There are a lot of impostors posing in congress.

[Historic NY]

5. Left w/o being detained......WTF !!!!!

he gave a bogus story and names did they even ID him. He should have been arrested, removed and held pending further investigation. Is the SS getting so timid these days???


The Secret Service did its job by screening everyone who attended the dinner, including the man, said Brian Leary, an agency spokesman.

“This guy went through security, fully screened,” he said.

BULLSHIT...

[Ikonoklast]

6. Oh, my bad. See you guys, thanks for letting me go.

I get a chance to do it again, like that other guy you let go. Maybe the next time I'll be successful.

[heaven05]

11. again!!!???

WTF!!!

[annabanana]

12. . . . and the hits just keep on coming. . .n/t

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

13. All those old white guys look alike.

(Note for the sarcasm impaired, I'm a middle-aged white guy who might get to old eventually.)

[Bluenorthwest]

14. Rep Payne is African American....

if the imposter was white then that makes it even more absurd.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

15. My bad, I didn't actually read even the entire blurb,

just the first few sentences, and didn't realize he was impersonating a specific Congressperson. I figured he just told people he was a Congressperson, stuck a flag lapel pin on a suit, and went in

(Edit, and really, if I'd read carefully 'Congressional Black Caucus' should have been a tip-off too.)

[rocktivity]

16. Why wasn't he detained? Was he at least followed?

It's one thing to be detained because you refuse to leave, like what happened at the White house two weeks ago. But If he showed phony ID, or none at all, surely that alone was grounds to detain him!


rocktivity

[William Seger]

17. I wonder if Doug Lamborn has been talking to Secret Service agents

... telling them that if they disagree with the President's politics, they don't need to protect him.

[woo me with science]

18. Which one?