28 November,2009 08:23 AM IST | | Agencies
The socialite couple now being investigated by the Secret Service for crashing US President Barack Obama's state dinner for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday were reportedly "cleared" to attend by the White House.
"My clients were cleared, by the White House, to be there," attorney Paul Gardner posted on the couple's Facebook page.
Security screening
Edwin Donovan, a Secret Service spokesman, said the couple, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, went through the same security screening for weapons as the 300-plus people invited to the dinner.
Donovan said the officers at the checkpoint did not follow proper procedure when the Salahis arrived and it was determined they had not been invited. He declined to reveal the levels of security screening at the White House.
Michaele bragged about the dinner on her Facebook page, which featured photos of the couple with famous people.
