Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen Debunks Nancy Pelosi's 'Security' Claim
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Wednesday contradicted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s claim that the Secret Service and related agencies would not be able to provide the necessary security for the State of the Union address scheduled for the end of the month, due to the partial government shutdown.
Earlier in the day, Pelosi called on Trump to delay making the State of the Union address or deliver it by writing instead of appearing before Congress personally.
“Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th,” Pelosi wrote in a letter to the president.
The speaker noted that last September, Nielsen designated State of the Union addresses as “National Special Security Events,” necessitating “the full resources of the Federal Government to be brought to bear.”
“The extraordinary demands presented by NSSEs require weeks of detailed planning with dozens of agencies working together to prepare for the safety of all participants,” Pelosi wrote.
“However, both the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security have not been funded for 26 days now — with critical departments hamstrung by furloughs.”
Nielsen responded via Twitter.
“The Department of Homeland Security and the US Secret Service are fully prepared to support and secure the State of the Union,” she wrote. “We thank the Service for their mission focus and dedication and for all they do each day to secure our homeland.”
The Department of Homeland Security and the US Secret Service are fully prepared to support and secure the State of the Union. We thank the Service for their mission focus and dedication and for all they do each day to secure our homeland.
— Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen (@SecNielsen) January 16, 2019
The Daily Caller reported that a senior law enforcement official informed the news outlet, “The Secret Service was never contacted by congressional leadership regarding our security plan or the Secret Service’s ability to carry it out.”
NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander also tweeted that a senior law enforcement official informed his colleague Pete Williams that the Secret Service is fully ready to offer protection during the State of the Union.
“It’s a no-fail mission,” the official said, adding the Secret Service is fully staffed. “We’ve been planning for this for months, as we always do. It didn’t start up 29 days ago.”
Secret Service is fully ready to offer full protection during the #SOTU, a sr. law enforcement official tells @petewilliamsnbc.
“It’s a no-fail mission,” the official says.
Though USSS personnel are not being paid, the intelligence & protection functions are fully staffed. (1/2)— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) January 16, 2019
“We’ve been planning for this for months, as we always do. It didn’t start up 29 days ago,” the official said. (2/2)
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) January 16, 2019
Fox News contributor Katie Pavlich tweeted regarding the kerfuffle created by Pelosi’s letter, “After being exposed as liars and using the Secret Service falsely to make a political point, Democrats are still arguing there’s a security threat to SOTU, despite Secret Service saying they have it handled.”
After being exposed as liars and using the Secret Service falsely to make a political point, Democrats are still arguing there’s a security threat to SOTU, despite Secret Service saying they have it handled. Hoyer doing it now on Special Report.
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) January 16, 2019
She noted House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer was still making the claim on Fox News Wednesday night.
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