Secret Service Director Julia Pierson said Tuesday that she takes "full responsibility" for several high-profile security failures at the White House in testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. 
"It is clear that our security plan was not executed properly. I take full responsibility; what happened is unacceptable and it will never happen again," Pierson said in her opening remarks to the committee, which addressed a security breach on Sept. 19.

A 42-year-old Texas man, Omar J. Gonzalez, was able to scale the White House fence and enter the front doors of the building, which were apparently unlocked. On Monday, CBS News reported that Gonzalez ran through the main entrance and all the way into the East Room before he was apprehended, contrary to initial reports from the Secret Service that he was caught just inside the North Portico doors.

In his opening statement Tuesday, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., called the initial Secret Service statement an "early false report."

Pierson testified that Gonzalez was arrested "on the state floor" of the White House. Immediately afterward, she ordered security enhancements around the White House grounds and began conducting a full review of the incident at the request of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

Issa pressed Pierson over the accuracy of the report that Gonzalez was apprehended inside the front door.

"Mr. Gonzalez entered the door he knocked back the officer that was standing at the doorway. The officer then engaged Mr. Gonzalez, the crossed the east entrance hall together, made the left turn down the Cross Hall, they stepped momentarily into the east room, another officer rendered aid and he was placed on the ground, on the carpet, and handcuffed on the Cross Hall," she said.

She said she believed the original complaint filed against Gonzalez was accurate.

 

Source: CBS News