Acting Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy told NBC News there is 'no excuse' for the low morale he says has plagued the agency and vowed to correct the problem caused by a series of high-profile and embarrassing blunders.
'There is no excuse for us having a poor morale. We've got great people and we're going to let them shine,' Clancy told NBC's Kelly O'Donnell on Wednesday after testifying in front on Congress.
In his opening remarks to the House Judiciary Committee, Clancy said the morale problems could have 'dire consequences,' but told NBC News the president is not vulnerable. Clancy said he is confident that enhancements made after a man was able to hop the protective gate and enter the White House have improved the security at the president's home.
During his testimony, Clancy said no disciplinary action was taken after the agency released incorrect information that downplayed the significance of the security breach in September.
'As a member of Congress, as a United States citizen, the Secret Service misled us, on purpose. Was there any consequence to any personnel?' Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, asked Clancy.
Chaffetz pressed Clancy on the information released after Omar Gonzalez jumped the White House fence on Sept. 19. Initially the agency said Gonzalez was unarmed and apprehended just after he entered the White House front door. But the Washington Post later reported Gonzalez made it much farther into the White House and had a small knife.
Clancy acknowledged the agency released 'bad information' but said it was not intentional.
'There is a difference between misconduct, sir, and operational errors,' Clancy said. No one was disciplined for the misinformation, he said.
However, former Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigned last month following the string of incidents and Clancy said he is conducting 'a comprehensive, bottom-to-top assessment' of failures within the service.
First published November 19 2014, 9:31 AM
Kelly O'Donnell
Kelly O’Donnell was named Capitol Hill correspondent in December 2007. She contributes to all NBC News properties, including “Nightly News with Brian Williams,†“TODAY,†and MSNBC. O’Donnell previously served as White House correspondent for NBC News covering the second term of President George W. Bush from May 2005 to December 2007. Prior to that, O’Donnell followed a broad range of stories as an NBC News correspondent based in New York City and Los Angeles. She has also served as news anchor for the weekend edition of 'TODAY,' and as a substitute anchor for other NBC News broadcasts.An award winning reporter, O'Donnell was inducted into the Ohio Radio/Television Broadcasters Hall of Fame in September 2004. She has received a regional Emmy Award for outstanding live reporting of an Ohio prison riot, and has received several national Emmy nominations. O'Donnell also received two first place awards from the Los Angeles Press Club for feature reporting, and has twice been part of the 'Nightly News' team honored with an Edward R. Murrow Award in 1999 and in 2006.O’Donnell first joined NBC News as a correspondent in 1994. Before that, she anchored and reported for WJW-TV, then the CBS affiliate in Cleveland, Ohio. O'Donnell began her broadcast career at WJW-TV as an associate producer and reporter and graduated from Northwestern University.
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