A rush to recruit more Secret Service agents after White House security lapses has led to a new problem: Several dozen of the new arrivals have been posted in sensitive positions without completing the required national security clearance process, reports the Washington Post. Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy acknowledged the problem during a private conversation with Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), who raised the issue after hearing from a whistleblower who alleged that newly hired officers had been present for White House meetings in which classified material was shared.
Clancy promised to fix the situation as soon as possible, a Secret Service official said. The official said the agency is struggling to work through an “administrative backlog” in issuing security clearances with the higher-than-normal volume of new hires. The hiring push began after man jumped he White House fence last September, ran through the mansion's front door and raced through much of the main floor. The breach was an embarrassment for the Secret Service and prompted lawmakers and security experts to call for beefing up protection for the compound and the first family. Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary said that Clancy has assigned more staff to work on the backlog and that all outstanding clearances will be issued by Friday.