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WH Dinner Crashers Blasted, Want Money for Story
Date: Monday, November 30, 2009, 4:42 am
By: Associated Press
Two senators said Sunday that authorities should pursue criminal charges against the Virginia couple who crashed last week's state dinner at the White House.
"You've got to send a strong deterrent that people just don't do this kind of thing," Democrat Evan Bayh of Indiana said on "Fox News Sunday."
Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona agreed, saying, "If it's a federal crime to lie to a federal agent, and these people didn't tell the truth about their invitation, then they should be in some way brought to justice here, again, as an example to others not to do it."
According to authorities, Michaele and Tareq Salahi were allowed into the White House dinner Tuesday night even though they were not on the guest list. The Secret Service has apologized for the breakdown in security, and an investigation into possible criminal behavior is ongoing.
Casey Margenau, a friend of the Salahis, appeared Saturday on Fox News Channel's "Geraldo at Large" and said, "I understand that they spent Friday with the Secret Service and they have been cooperating."
The New York Times, citing an anonymous federal official, reported Sunday that the Secret Service interviews with the Salehis continued through Saturday.
"It's an incredible situation," said Bayh. "I mean, of course, people have been laughing about it, ... but it's not a laughing matter that people could get that close to the president and the vice president who aren't supposed to be there."
<span style="font-weight: bold">The Sahalis are reportedly peddling their story to broadcast networks for hundreds of thousands of dollars, a television executive says.</span>
The executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the network does not publicly discuss bookings, told The Associated Press that representatives for the Salahis contacted networks to urge them to "get their bids in" for an interview. <span style="font-weight: bold">The executive said the Virginia couple was looking for a payment in the mid-six figures range.</span>
Meanwhile, CNN confirmed that the Salahis had canceled an appearance they had scheduled for "Larry King Live" on Monday.
Network news divisions say they don't pay for interviews. But for eagerly sought interviews in the past, they have offered to pay for access to exclusive material, such as pictures or videos from their subjects.
Representatives for the couple did not immediately return telephone and e-mail requests for comment.
Michaele Salahi is a reality TV hopeful trying to get on Bravo's "The Real Housewives of D.C."
The Secret Service acknowledged its officers never checked whether the couple were on the guest list before letting them onto the White House grounds. But it initially insisted Obama was never endangered by the security breach because the couple — like others at the dinner — had gone through magnetometers.
When it became clear the couple had interacted with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden during the event, Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan expressed concern and embarrassment. He said that while an investigation continues, the agency has taken measures to ensure the oversight is not repeated.
A White House photo showed the Salahis in the receiving line in the Blue Room with Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in whose honor the dinner was held. Obama and Michaele Salahi are smiling as she grasps his right hand with both of hers and her husband looks on. Singh is to Obama's left.
On Saturday, Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, called for a review of Secret Service practices and asked for a briefing this week.
Agency spokesmen declined to comment on reports that agents had visited the Salahis' vineyard in Hume, Va., in search of the couple. Voice mail messages left Saturday at two separate telephone numbers for the Oasis Winery, south of Washington, were not immediately returned.
It is unclear what the couple told officers at the checkpoint that allowed them to go through the security screening. The Salahi's lawyer, Paul Gardner, posted a comment on their Facebook page saying his clients were cleared by the White House to be at the dinner.
Date: Monday, November 30, 2009, 4:42 am
By: Associated Press
Two senators said Sunday that authorities should pursue criminal charges against the Virginia couple who crashed last week's state dinner at the White House.
"You've got to send a strong deterrent that people just don't do this kind of thing," Democrat Evan Bayh of Indiana said on "Fox News Sunday."
Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona agreed, saying, "If it's a federal crime to lie to a federal agent, and these people didn't tell the truth about their invitation, then they should be in some way brought to justice here, again, as an example to others not to do it."
According to authorities, Michaele and Tareq Salahi were allowed into the White House dinner Tuesday night even though they were not on the guest list. The Secret Service has apologized for the breakdown in security, and an investigation into possible criminal behavior is ongoing.
Casey Margenau, a friend of the Salahis, appeared Saturday on Fox News Channel's "Geraldo at Large" and said, "I understand that they spent Friday with the Secret Service and they have been cooperating."
The New York Times, citing an anonymous federal official, reported Sunday that the Secret Service interviews with the Salehis continued through Saturday.
"It's an incredible situation," said Bayh. "I mean, of course, people have been laughing about it, ... but it's not a laughing matter that people could get that close to the president and the vice president who aren't supposed to be there."
<span style="font-weight: bold">The Sahalis are reportedly peddling their story to broadcast networks for hundreds of thousands of dollars, a television executive says.</span>
The executive, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the network does not publicly discuss bookings, told The Associated Press that representatives for the Salahis contacted networks to urge them to "get their bids in" for an interview. <span style="font-weight: bold">The executive said the Virginia couple was looking for a payment in the mid-six figures range.</span>
Meanwhile, CNN confirmed that the Salahis had canceled an appearance they had scheduled for "Larry King Live" on Monday.
Network news divisions say they don't pay for interviews. But for eagerly sought interviews in the past, they have offered to pay for access to exclusive material, such as pictures or videos from their subjects.
Representatives for the couple did not immediately return telephone and e-mail requests for comment.
Michaele Salahi is a reality TV hopeful trying to get on Bravo's "The Real Housewives of D.C."
The Secret Service acknowledged its officers never checked whether the couple were on the guest list before letting them onto the White House grounds. But it initially insisted Obama was never endangered by the security breach because the couple — like others at the dinner — had gone through magnetometers.
When it became clear the couple had interacted with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden during the event, Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan expressed concern and embarrassment. He said that while an investigation continues, the agency has taken measures to ensure the oversight is not repeated.
A White House photo showed the Salahis in the receiving line in the Blue Room with Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in whose honor the dinner was held. Obama and Michaele Salahi are smiling as she grasps his right hand with both of hers and her husband looks on. Singh is to Obama's left.
On Saturday, Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, called for a review of Secret Service practices and asked for a briefing this week.
Agency spokesmen declined to comment on reports that agents had visited the Salahis' vineyard in Hume, Va., in search of the couple. Voice mail messages left Saturday at two separate telephone numbers for the Oasis Winery, south of Washington, were not immediately returned.
It is unclear what the couple told officers at the checkpoint that allowed them to go through the security screening. The Salahi's lawyer, Paul Gardner, posted a comment on their Facebook page saying his clients were cleared by the White House to be at the dinner.
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