White House Party Crashers Met President, May Face Criminal Charges (PHOTOS)

The White House released a picture today of Michaele Salahi shaking hands with the president despite earlier reports that the couple who allegedly crashed the state dinner never came in contact with Obama.

This revelation comes just hours after the Secret Service took responsibility for the breech. Director Mark Sullivan told the AP that his agency failed to verify whether the couple was invited to the party and expressed his deep concern and embarrassment. He went on to say that measures have been taken to ensure this will not happen again.

Despite that, the Secret Service has not ruled out bringing charges against Tareq and Michaele Salahi. The agency maintains they were not on the guest list despite protestations from the couple, who are auditioning for the Bravo reality show "The Real Housewives of DC", that they did not crash the party.

"As this moves closer to a criminal investigation there's less that we can say," spokesman Jim Mackin said. "I don't want to jeopardize what could be a criminal investigation. We're not leaving any option off the table at this point."

No specific charges were mentioned but the Salahis lawyer, Paul Gardner, claims the couple were indeed invited and that there is no risk of punishment. He posted a comment on Facebook saying, "My clients were cleared by the White House, to be there."

President Barack Obama

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Comments

[Harrier]

11:25 AM on 12/07/2009

Had this not been made public, nothing would happen The ironic thing is, had it not been made public, the secret service would still be screwing up. This is a problem with the Secret Service. Very little problem with the couple. The bottom line is, anyone in American could have joined that dinner. There is no reason to have a secret service if that is the case. I'm glad after over a month and watching others be blamed that someone from the Secret Service was push under the bus. But the dufuss needs to offer a more complete and better explanation of what happened and why he chose to ignore repeated warnings.

[glynda69]

04:05 PM on 12/01/2009

i THINK WE ARE ALL BEING SCAMMED! GO HERE:
http://americanpowerblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/obama-met-gatecrashers-in-2005-salahis.html

[democles]

10:14 AM on 12/01/2009

I, for one, really can't wait to see their email invitations. Invitations are engraved on gold, embossed White House card stock. Having attended an event at the White House, and certainly nothing on the scale of a State Dinner, it is the most awe-inspiring security I've ever been subject too, not like printing your ticket, showing your passport and taking an international flight. Right. An email invitation. Ho Ho Ho. If Bravo is in on it, Bravo has a problem, too.

[SharonaMonk]

02:20 AM on 12/02/2009

Did they really say they got the invite by email? lmao.

[wdmosely]

05:59 PM on 11/30/2009

Cortney O'Donnell and Katie McCormick are obviously not aware that they were in the White House when they were asked about the unknown intruders on last Tuesday's State Dinner. I guess they thought they were at their dad's BBQ after a football game party and did think two people they could not verify on the invitees list were any big deal all. I always wonder how people get their jobs. Do they not know they are to maintain security too. What idiots!

They need training, basic training on how presidents are targets for harm. Did they not think that if they could not verify who these people were' why they weren't curious enough to ask them who are you and why are your here?

The secret service is in need to a new secret service configuration. This was a real threat....heck Henry Gates was arrested for sitting in his own home, and Martha Stewart lied to Law officials and went to prison. They take too many shortcuts and are stretched beyond their ability to protect the POTUS.

[fairplaystacy]

09:05 AM on 11/30/2009

It's true that Obama has surrounded himself with some of the best and brightest minds of this era, but not exclusively, a few dimwits have made their way onto his staff. He'll be lucky if he survives their incompetence.

[MaximMaximus]

10:36 PM on 11/29/2009

SouthernWisdom is knowingly and wilfully bearing false witness. And in addition, she's knowingly and wilfully spreading rumors and lies. Furthermore, all her comments are geared toward badmouthing either the President or his family. It's as if she's on a mission as a paid professional. All these actions are telling that she's a despicable person who lacks a moral backbone. She should be dealt with on this website based on these facts!

[rdiaz921]

11:13 PM on 11/29/2009

just ridicule him/her/it. don't take them seriously. if you take them seriously, they win.

[mainemomma]

08:30 PM on 11/29/2009

Please arrest them.... please. Save us from these folks... Balloon boy parents didn't get charged quick enough.... but law enforcement can save us all!!

[MsVella]

03:42 AM on 12/02/2009

The security should be arrested more then them

[mainemomma]

06:49 AM on 12/02/2009

Security ( stupidity) should be fired. Blondie and the chump, had intent to defraud and trespass. They should be arrested.

[aquarius64]

05:03 PM on 11/29/2009

I hope the authorities arrest them and the arrest is public! Since these social climbing media wh * re$ love attention, this is the perfect comeuppance. Get a network to cooperate, invite these yahoos to give their side of the story, offer to pay their fee, and let them spill all on camera. After the interview, ARREST THEM, and the studio broadcasts the arrest LIVE! It's a win for the network because the perp walk would be a ratings bonanza; the SS may get some of its dignity back; and the next publicly released images of these two would be their mug shots. Or better yet, the court sketch of their arraignment.

[JenniferWest]

04:31 PM on 11/29/2009

I wonder if this couple were Muslim, do you think they would be arrested?

[Flavor]

11:55 PM on 11/30/2009

This has nothing to do with religion, this has to do with two slick rick people who want to be rich and famous.

[ejhickey]

03:26 PM on 11/29/2009

They have cancelled their Larry King interview because they want be paid for their criminal behavior.

I say - a penny for their thoughts. no more . They are not even two bit hustlers.

[Areyoume2]

03:09 PM on 11/29/2009

A good rule of thumb: Never Trust a Blonde n a Sari..... and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. I'm so tired of reality shows, balloon boys and all such NONSENSE. America GROW UP

[Martha12]

02:34 PM on 11/29/2009

They were definitely NOT on the guest list, so they could not POSSIBLY have had a bona fide invitation.

Since this was a huge fraud, planned and aided by the Bravo TV team..........they could all be charged under the RICO Act.

Both the couple and Bravo stand to make a great deal of money from this stunt. This is a clear conspiracy between these parties for financial gain.

We have yet to know for certain, if anyone else was involved, and/or bribery was committed.

RICO offenses

Under the law, racketeering activity means:

Any violation of state statutes against gambling, murder, kidnapping, extortion, arson, robbery, bribery, dealing in obscene matter, or dealing in a controlled substance or listed chemical (as defined in the Controlled Substances Act);

Any act of bribery, counterfeiting, theft, embezzlement, fraud, dealing in obscene matter, obstruction of justice, slavery, racketeering, gambling, money laundering, commission of murder-for-hire, and several other offenses covered under the Federal criminal code (Title 18);

Embezzlement of union funds;
Bankruptcy fraud or securities fraud;
Drug trafficking;
Money laundering and related offenses;
Bringing in, aiding or assisting aliens in illegally entering the country (if the action was for financial gain);
Acts of terrorism.

[Flavor]

02:43 PM on 11/29/2009

Thanks for the info, because I knew this was criminal but I just did not know to what level. We have become a nation full of liars and our children are trailing behind us. Respect, has gone out the door & greed is awful here in this nation. Anything to be seen & at any price, and I don't care how I do it I just want my way, when they start escorting people straight to the jail, then they will think about their actions behind an orange jumpsuit. Security, also has got to be delt with because this is a bald face shame.

[wdmosely]

02:03 PM on 11/29/2009

How is it that Professor Henry Gates with his ID is arrested in his own home for nothing and these people lie to officials like Martha Stewart did and should not be prosecuted!

Then SS is definitely not working in the configuration it is in right now. The number of threats to this POTUS and FLOTUS are unprecedented. And now that the world know how full of holes and easy it is to get to the President there will be a lot more trying to get to him and his family.

The congress should triple the resources and number of SS agents in an emergent way. This cannot wait. We need to take this as seriously as the people who pray for the POTUS demise. We need to protect this President. I think he deserves our support. It is too bad that more will not come together as Americans and stand against the harming of this president, his wife and children.

[robeson]

12:47 PM on 11/29/2009

In most countries Director Mark Sullivan would offer his resignation. I don't think he will resign. If not mistaken, Director Sullivan claimed incorrectly during the 2008 campaign that threats at Palin rallies to kill Obama were protected speech. Since he doesn't know the law, and can't perform his primary duty, he probably won't know the right thing to do.

[Chopin]

01:09 PM on 11/29/2009

Robeson: "Director Sullivan claimed incorrectly during the 2008 campaign that threats at Palin rallies to kill Obama were protected speech. Since he doesn't know the law, and can't perform his primary duty, he probably won't know the right thing to do." SHOCKING !

That's a truly chilling revelation about the state of mind, judgment, sympathies and motivations of the Director of Security Services "less than one heartbeat away from the President". That's political metaphor of "lying in bed with a snake." No wonder strange unaccountable lapses in security happened, and will continue to happen until and unless sweeping personality and structural changes are made.

[Harrier]

12:10 PM on 11/29/2009

The secret service are idiots. This happens all the time. These guys simply are weak bunch. There is nothing legally they can do. You let them onto your property, tell the public they were never a danger to anyone because they went through a security check. They have been checkmated