Julia Pierson has resigned her post as director of the United States Secret Service, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced Wednesday.
Joseph Clancy, formerly Special Agent in Charge of the Presidential Protective Division of the Secret Service, will lead the agency on an interim basis.
President Barack Obama spoke with Pierson on Wednesday afternoon “to express his appreciation for her service to the agency and to the country,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest said.
Pierson offered her resignation because “she believed it was in the best interests of the agency to which she had dedicated her career,” Earnest said. “The secretary agreed with that assessment. The president did as well.”
I really think this was the only choice that she had at this point.
I watched the back and forth during her appearance before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, at it was one of the first times in recent memory where I have seen both the Democrats and Republicans in agreement. They both wanted her out.
And after she failed to volunteer the incident involving an armed private security contractor sharing an elevator with the President, I kind of knew her goose was cooked.
As I wrote before this President is the MOST threatened President in history, and the fact that time and time again the Secret Service seems to be sleepwalking through their job is entirely unacceptable.
Not to be too paranoid at this point, but I would kind of like to see a different screening protocol utilized. Perhaps it is time to ask agents about their political affiliations, their history with racism, and whether or not they ever contributed to SarahPAC?
