FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2015 file photo, Secret Service officers search the south grounds of the White House in Washington after an unmanned aerial drone was found on the White House grounds during the middle of the night. Mysterious, middle-of-the-night drone flights by the U.S. Secret Service during the next several weeks over parts of Washington are part of secret government testing intended to find ways to interfere with rogue drones or knock them out of the sky. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) ORG XMIT: WX101(Photo: Susan Walsh, AP)
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is investigating two Secret Service agents over allegations they drove a government car into White House security barricades after drinking at a nearby party last week.
The Washington Post reported that officers who witnesses the March 4 incident "wanted to arrest the agents and conduct sobriety tests" but were "ordered by a supervisor on duty that night to let the agents go home."
An administration official confirmed the investigation and said President Obama has been informed.
"We are aware of the alleged incident," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing probe. "At the request of the Secret Service Director, Joe Clancy, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Inspector General is conducting an investigation into the allegations."
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The official said Obama supports Clancy's decision "to turn the investigation over to the DHS Inspector General for a thorough review."
In a brief statement, the Secret Service acknowledged the allegations of misconduct involving the two agents but did not elaborate on the March 4 incident.
"If misconduct is identified, appropriate action will be taken based on established rules and regulations,'' Secret Service spokesman Robert Hoback said.
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"Director Clancy has been briefed on these allegations and has directed that this investigation be turned over to the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General. "The Secret Service will fully cooperate with the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General in this investigation.''
The
Post identified the agents as "Mark Connolly, the second-in-command on Obama's detail, and George Ogilvie, a senior supervisor in the Washington field office."
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