The Salahis Take the Fifth, Over and Over

There was no question about whether Tareq and Michaele Salahi were invited to Room 311 of the Cannon Caucus Room on 20 January Two Thousand and Ten.

The socially ambitious, Virginia-based wannabe stars of "The Real Housewives of DC," who breached White House security and shook hands with the president at the Obamas' first state dinner on Nov. 24, were there under subpoena.

And for more than an hour, they repeatedly invoked their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

For the third time in two months, the House Committee on Homeland Security, which oversees the Secret Service, sought to learn how, without benefit of engraved invitation or background check, the sari-and-tux clad pair passed through several checkpoints and had a schmoozy old time with guests at the pre-dinner reception. Once home, they posted happy snaps on their Facebook page.

That night on the town made them world famous, and in the best tradition of reality TV, the subjects of a federal grand jury probe. An indictment for trespassing on government property and lying to federal officials is possible.

On the advice of counsel, they zipped their lips, but not until Tareq Salahi read an opening statement to the committee, explaining why they would take the fifth in public and not testify in private in a closed committee session. "We understand that to do so would afford us no legal protection." Michaele Salahi said they would return after the criminal matter is settled.

Fine. A number of lawmakers in both parties acknowledged their right to take the fifth, even as they bored in with tough questions, suggesting their White House adventure provided damaging information to terrorists and compromised national security.

In his opening statement, Salahi described himself and his wife as "strong supporters of the men and women in uniform, both here and abroad," and saluted "the extraordinary service the United States Secret Service performs on a daily basis," which prompted Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) to say: "To somehow suggest what you do provides support for our men and women is an abomination."

But if there was frustration with the couple seated alone at the witness table, respectfully and by rote declining to answer questions, some Republicans expressed anger over the White House refusal to allow Social Secretary Desiree Rogers to testify. For nearly two months, Rep. Peter King of New York has demanded Rogers explain why no one from her office was stationed at each Secret Service checkpoint, as previous administrations had done. The long-standing practice ensured that social aides familiar with the guest list would recognize any potential crashers and have them escorted out.

Secret Service director Mark Sullivan has accepted responsibility for the debacle, which now includes a third interloper, and three officers have been put on administrative leave. But that did not satisfy Lungren. "I expect the Secret Service to take a bullet for the president. I don't expect the Secret Service to take one for the social secretary."

After 75 minutes of questions and non-answers, the Salahis -- she in pearls, a tight white pencil skirt with a very high slit, a matching jacket and fur-trimmed shawl -- followed their lawyers down a marble corridor, where attorney Stephen A. Best addressed an international media gaggle.

"The Salahis are innocent and have committed no criminal act. I repeat, they made no false statement" to get into the glittery dinner. "This was not part of a reality TV show. They 100 percent believed in their heart" they were invited, he said. "Whatever the real story is, it's on the other side of the gates of the White House."

Moments later, as the couple waited for their car at a Cannon building exit, I asked Mrs. Salahi who designed the ensemble, which looked more suited to apres-ski Aspen than a Congressional hearing. "I got it in Milan," she said, flashing a broad smile.

"Is that real fur?" another reporter asked.

"No comment," she demurred.

Moments later, they were gone.