A security contractor with a gun and three prior convictions for assault and battery was allowed on an elevator with President Barack Obama during a Sept. 16 trip to Atlanta, violating Secret Service protocols, according to three people familiar with the incident.

The private contractor first aroused the agents' concerns when he was acting oddly and did not comply with their orders that he stop using a phone camera to videotape the president in the elevator, according to the people familiar with the incident.

When the elevator opened, Obama left with most of his Secret Service detail. Some agents stayed behind to question the man, and then used a national database check to learn of his criminal history.

When a supervisor from the firm providing security at the CDC approached and discovered the agents' concerns, the contractor was fired on the spot. Then the contractor agreed to turn over his gun — surprising agents, who had not realized he was armed during his encounter with Obama.

It was funny to watch the senators go apeshit on the Director yesterday...this is one of those topics that both sides of the aisle can agree on and let the grandstanding fly. "You said your men showed tremendous restraint in dealing with Gonzalez...I don't want them showing tremendous restraint -- I want them using overwhelming force!"

2014: The Year of the Elevator

2014: The Year of the Elevator

Now all we need is some scandalous love in an elevator.

Opening fire on someone in an elevator with the President in it seems like a recipe for disaster. Plus I think it would be a bigger story if they killed someone that was that close to the President rather than just letting a nutso near him.

Opening fire on someone in an elevator with the President in it seems like a recipe for disaster. Plus I think it would be a bigger story if they killed someone that was that close to the President rather than just letting a nutso near him.

How about not let the man on the elevator? How about locking the doors to the WH or shoot anyone that manages to hop a fence and enter the WH?

Who knows how many screw-ups through the years we don't know about?

They need more training. I wonder how much mistakes they've made in the last 30 years that we don't know about.

One of the talking heads I saw commented he was surprised Obama has lasted this long.

much bigger list than we will ever know. there are documentaries about secret service close calls, there are dozens of incidents that nearly went very wrong... and thats only the ones they admit to. its amazing how well they have performed, honestly. they never seem to have all their bases covered yet i suppose they have enough because usually nothing happens.

i do give them a break in the sense that it is by far the most difficult security job on the planet....

One of the talking heads I saw commented he was surprised Obama has lasted this long.

I bet the security has been incompetent for atleast the last 20 years but it gets out more now.

I thought letting the nutjob climb the fence and bust into the White House was bad enough, but now this?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nati ... story.html