The Secret Service is investigating how an uninvited couple was admitted to US president Barack Obama's White House state dinner, penetrating layers of security.
A pair of aspiring reality TV stars had the nerve and panache to slip past a bank of White House security and protocol officials to earn the dubious distinction of becoming the first people ever to successfully crash a White House state dinner.
Tareq and Michaele Salahi, possible stars of the new TV show The Real Housewives of Washington, were not on the guest list for Tuesday night’s exclusive power dinner, but managed to get past the tight security charged with keeping the unwanted out, reported The Washington Post.
The Salahis, who are well-known in the Virginia horse country set, went through the same security screening for weapons as the other 400-odd people actually invited to the dinner honouring prime minister Manmohan Singh.
The couple arrived for the party dressed to the nines. Tareq stuck to the standard tux while blonde-and-beautiful Michaele, a former Redskins cheerleader, sparkled in a red and gold chiffon sari.
Some members of the media identified them at the dinner. “Hey, that’s a ‘Desperate Housewife’!” The New York Times quoted one of the reporters as yelling out at the dinner.
Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan said they learned about the security breach on Wednesday after an intrepid reporter tipped them off after chancing upon the Salahis’ online boasts about having attended the hottest party in Washington. The media speculated on the consequences pointing out that the uninvited guests could face a potential trespassing charge.
It was not clear how close the Salahis got to the Obamas or to the guests of honour, prime minister Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur.
The bold as brass couple chronicled their night at the White House with a photo spread on Facebook, saying: “Honoured to be at the White House for the state dinner in honour of India with president Obama and our First Lady!”
They’re seen posing with vice-president Joe Biden, chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and CBS news anchor Katie Couric.
Edwin M Donovan, a spokesman for the Secret Service, told NYT that “initial findings identified a Secret Service checkpoint which did not follow proper procedures”, allowing the couple to get access to the festivities even though their names were not on the invitation list.
(With inputs from NYT)
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