Has anyone been following this story? Last week, a couple went to Obama's first state dinner. They posted photos on their facebook site. Then it turns out they were never invited and crashed the party. They keep claiming they had invites, but never were told they were actually invited.

Then it turns out this couple also crashed a Congressional Black Caucus awards dinner and was actually escorted out of the event by security. They also have started putting on polo games that they say are for charity, but never actually put the money toward charity nor did they pay vendors. (They also never paid for their extravagant wedding it seems!)

The Secret Service, which protects the president, says the couple was allowed in because one of its members didn't follow protocol.

Here's one of the most recent articles:
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/12/02/Report-Salahi-fund-investigated/UPI-74231259792298/

Here in the US, this is major news... every ten minutes. I think these people are just rude, and malicious. They were NOT invited, and they knew it. Some sort of charges should be filed against them, and maybe...this will be the end of their 'crashing' career!

And all of this supposedly because they are going to be on another reality-based TV show "The Real Housewives of DC" or something like that. And last month's story of Balloon Boy because his family wanted a reality TV show. I think people wanting their more than 15 minutes of fame by doing these TV shows has got to stop. These Salihi's need to be charged with every conceivable charge and thrown into the trash heap.

Guess they got what they wanted - lots of publicity. Shame on them and shame on those who let them slip by .......

and shame on the media for giving them what they want!

Absolutely, wayman. These people came face to face with the President and his wife, not to mention various other rather important people. What good is the Secret Service if they let someone stroll right up and shake hands? You don't exactly need heavy artillery at that range.
Frankly, I'm glad this is getting this attention, even though I'm sick of hearing about that particular couple. I'd just rather the focus was on the major security lapse.

Well, now they're getting sued by Montgomery County, Maryland, for failing to pay for $13,000 worth of liquor they ordered for some polo match this summer.

This whole story is truly beginning to aggravate me . The only good thing about it is that it breaks up the news coverage [if one considers it hard news, that is] swirling around lusty, sneaky and allegedy dubious-beyond-description golfers. Didn't President Obama make a major-league important speech last week sometime? Good heavens, though ... it gets little or no attention what with the lead news stories being wrecked-into fire hydrants/fallen 'heroes' and/or big-haired blondes sneaking into political functions! But I digress. That's just the typical state of the news (or is it entertainment?) media over here in the US. I agree. "Shame on us" for letting this sort of nonsense happen by watching it all so avidly. First (even though they messed up, in a perfect storm, all over the place) I applaud that Secret Service guy for owning this mess in his press conference. It was a noble thing to do, taking full responsibility like that. And, in my opinion, he wasn't a bit wrong, either. Security, both his group and some others, let what could have been a complete catastrophe happpen. I'm sure it was simple human error (and that happens in any organization, no matter what) but in this case letting crazy unauthorized people into rooms where several gadzillion heads of state/powerful leaders are all milling around in close proximity? Not a very forgivable display of "human error", I realize.

But about these irksome Salahis. The Secret Service taking 'full responsibilty' has, possibly, taken them off the hook for any responsibility of their own? I have a mighty problem with that. It rings to me something like this (very different, but not entirely so) scenario: If you leave your house and forget to lock up and some pair of thugs walk in without having to get crafty about it and steals all your stuff? What's the deal, then? Is it you, the homeowner's fault, for the robbery? The thieves are scot free because you were sloppy enough not to lock the door? Personally, I don't think so. They broke in (locks in place or not) and are no better than any other criminal who might have to break windows to get in had you inconvenienced them with pesky locks or alarms. The official types are owning up to their laxness in this instance and have handled their end of it with dismissals and much public scorn, etc. The Salahis? They're calling themselves "victims", I saw the other day. Bah. They're no more than intruders and security risks. Since I'm so sick of seeing the two of them? I say throw 'em in jail. And that sounds a bit harsh (especially from my usually mostly liberal and permissive self ) ... but, in this case, I mean it. I don't think they should get the death penalty, or anything. But I think a fair share (and then some) of the consequences should land squarely on them.

Whew. I've been waiting to snort about this "event" for days now. I feel exorcised !

SNL did a wonderful spoof last night satirizing the gate crashers and the whole debacle.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/05/salahis-on-snl-washington_n_381517.html

ROFL at that video ! Perfect!