Former Secret Service agent and author of “Within Arm’s Length,” Dan Emmett argued that the military should provide additional security at the White House on Wednesday’s broadcast of “@This Hour” on CNN.
“What I’m advocating is that the military, as they did during World War II, simply augment the existing security at the White House, not that they take it over. So there’s precedent there. Also, if you look at Camp David, Camp David, where the president goes almost every weekend is protected and guarded by the US Marine Corps” he stated. And “during a time of war, such as we now find ourselves in, the Secret Service is simply not equipped or trained to handle an organized military-style attack on the White House, and so I think that asking for the help of the military would be the prudent thing to do right about now.”
Emmett added that security protocols were broken when the Secret Service allowed an armed security contractor with a criminal record onto an elevator with the president, saying “manifests are done for anyone going on-board an elevator with the POTUS. Also, anyone regardless of where they’re going to be … if they’re going to be in close proximity, they’re supposed to be name checked through NCIC. If it comes back with a hit, in other words if that person has a criminal history, they are not allowed anywhere near the president during the visit.”
Asked why Secret Service Director Julia Pierson did not mention this incident when she testified before Congress yesterday, he responded “Director Pierson certainly should have been briefed on an incident regarding a non-clear person with a firearm standing next to the president.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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