September 20, 2014

Thanks, Texas. That's just what the country needs -- some lunatic jumping the fence at the White House and charging for the front door. And what the hell, Secret Service?

Reuters:

A man jumped over the White House fence and made it to the front doors of the executive mansion before being apprehended on Friday, sparking an evacuation within the complex shortly after President Barack Obama departed for the weekend.

Omar J. Gonzales, a 42-year-old white male from Texas, made it onto the grounds at 7:20 EDT, a U.S. Secret Service spokesman said. Gonzales ignored commands to stop and was ultimately caught, unarmed, just inside the North Portico doors of the White House, one of the building's main entrances.

The intruder's ability to get so far on the grounds before being apprehended is very unusual for a complex that is heavily guarded by Secret Service officers and snipers. He was arrested and taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

"The Secret Service will review the response to ensure that the proper protocol was followed,” spokesman Ed Donovan said.

Donovan said the fact that Gonzales had made it to the doors was "not acceptable to us and it’s going to be closely reviewed."

Fortunately he was unarmed and even more fortunately, he was caught and the President wasn't there. And possibly most fortunate, he was apprehended without being shot full of lead, unlike others in other cities who pose less threat to national security.

The Secret Service damn well better review their procedures. As a taxpayer, this is absolutely unacceptable, no matter who inhabits the White House.

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