WASHINGTON — The Secret Service is looking at possible criminal charges against a Virginia couple who crashed the state dinner at the White House on Tuesday.

Secret Service spokesman Jim Mackin says the agency is moving closer to beginning a criminal investigation. He says that's one reason the Secret Service hasn't yet explained what happened when Michaele and Tareq Salahi arrived at the security checkpoint for the dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Mackin says there's less the Secret Service can say as the probe moves closer to a criminal investigation. He says the agency isn't leaving any options off the table at this point.

In photos posted on Facebook, Tareq and Michaele Salahi, of Virginia, rub shoulders and beam smiles with partygoers and the powerful, including Vice President Biden. The Salahis also are shown posing with White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, CBS anchor Katie Couric, and three Marines in dress blue uniforms.

The story of the unwanted dinner guests was first reported byThe Washington Post. The Salahis were not on the list of those invited to the dinner Tuesday in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife, Gursharan Kaur, Donovan said.

uards apparently waved the Salahis through security checkpoints. "It appears that proper procedures were not followed," Donovan said.

The couple did not pose a threat to the president or other dignitaries, Donovan said. Partygoers, including the uninvited Salahis, had to pass through metal detectors, he said.

At the dinner, the president, vice president and others were still protected by their "usual complement" of Secret Service personnel, Donovan said.

"In that regard, everything worked the way it's supposed to work," he said.

The Salahis are under consideration for a role on Bravo's new reality show, Real Housewives of D.C., her Facebook page shows.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-11-26-state-dinner-crashers_N.htm

It's their fault, or the security of the WH fault?

I can't recall hearing this happening during other parties with other Presidents. Hmmm signs of the times? Lack of security?

Time will tell

yeah, interesting story, watched it last night. Kinda funny in a almost scary way. How the heck did that happen... geez!

if they didnt announce it on facebook they would had been fine.
but it seem they wanted there popularity(so to speak) be shown and watch next time if security isent tight another couple can get in

What I think is funny is they are talking about criminal charges against them what for due to the Secret Service men screwed up? They did not make fake invitations to get in they were never checked properly to make sure they had the correct credentials in order to attend.

Heck I thought it was a tad comically. Here is a couple that are known to exaggerate of the accomplishments they have achieved and now they have actually accomplished something no one has before.

Boy will this one bring them the fame they have been seeking too funny actually.

Sounds to me that Security needs to get there acts together this time it was only a couple out for the lime light next who knows. They should be thankful that the ones that were able to penetrate the security were only attention seekers instead.

at the least they should get "tresspassing on Federal property"

what they did is not a game, it's an intentional violation of security

Robin they were not even checked to see if they should be there the first Security let them through thinking that someone else would check them instead I mean come on if I thought I could waltz right in to the White House and not be stopped at a big function ya think I would not at least try it shshh Not my fault the Secret Service had their heads up their arse and let me go right on in.

yeah that part is bad too

some people should lose their jobs over this

but its security for a Head of State function

if they had snuck on to a Naval Base and got onto a nuclear submarine it wouldn't be as bad as sneaking into a State Dinner at the White House

like I said it not a game. Its deadly serious National Security

what if they were working for Chinese Intelligence, or Israeli Intel

or if they were reconoitering security prior to an attack on the President or the Indian Prime Minister

they thought they playing a silly happy go lucky game but they were doing it in a place where the players can and do disapear for ever

I do agree it is not something that they should have tried but due to the fact they did and actually got through.

That should be and eye opener to the Secret Service that they are lacking within their job. Now if they had been caught and turned away nothing would have been done. So why should they do something to them when the actually blame should be placed where it is due?

Now if they had in fact made fake credentials in order to access their way in I could see throwing the book at them but that was not the case.

haha I imagine there was a LOT of freaking out within the Secret Service. and the freakingout prolly isnt over yet

people will lose their jobs over it

but if you wanted to sneak on to a Federal facility and found a spot where the fence was down and strolled through, it would still be trespassing

just cause it was easy doesnt mean they werent breaking the law

I'm not trying to be argumentive but this is a pretty serious security violation

they'll prolly get a few felony charges

EDIT: its sort of like the guy that threw a shoe at Bush and people said "whats the big deal? why give the guy 3 years in prison" but it was still an assault on a head of state

"that's one reason the Secret Service hasn't yet explained what happened when Michaele and Tareq Salahi arrived at the security checkpoint for the dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh."

I think until all the details are out,, its hard to determine if a law was broken or who is at fault. Did they forge documents to get in,,did they knowingly commit fraud to get in,,did they have legit documents even though they werent on the list,,,etc,,,

Humble opinion...

There little 'escapade' has farther reaching implications than they might imagine.

What head of state will be willing to visit the obama white house now. (can you imagine what the India version of our secret service thinks of this)

Or did they know what the consequences might be?

nice job DC and friends.

one fell swoop.

When the truth is finally brought to light on this incident, I believe you will find that these party crashers will join the list of Obama's radical associates.

Conspiracy?

Where did the motivation come from that would make someone go through all the preparation and expense they used to attempt this.
Did they go through that with the chance that they might not even get through the gate?
I doubt it. I'm sure they knew they would succeed.

The bad thing is not just that such lax security imposed danger to our President. It also imposed danger to the President of India.

I say, give the hot blond broad a hefty reward and her own TV show. She gots mo' gonads than Hussein!

Just because they weren't on the "official" guest list doesn't mean they weren't invited.

They were saying on tv earlier that they didn't crash it. And that they didn't crash the other dinner they were escorted from. Hmm..