Would you expect one of the most important, political buildings of our nation to be breached by the average civilian? According to recent events, that is precisely what happened.

On September 19th, a civilian was able to scale the White House fence, quickly dash past security officers, and enter the North wing of the executive mansion.

The intruder, Omar Gonzalez, is a 42-year-old Iraq War veteran who not only had knife while trespassing, but had 800 rounds of ammunition in his car as well. The incident created concern and many raised brows from both the American population and other government departments. Congress and House of Representatives expressed their outrage, spurring an immense grilling of the Secret Service’s Laura Pierson.

On Tuesday, September 30th, a meeting was held to answer the pressing questions which have risen amongst the government. Secret Service Director, Laura Pierson addressed the House committee on these issues of the White House security. She faced a tough inquiry from house members who held her under extreme scrutiny.

Insiders to the hearing described the tone of the questioning representatives to be combative while Pierson sat expressionless. She admitted to the members that there have been sixteen incidents of fence-jumping within the past six years.

Pierson has only been the Chief of Secret Service for a year, yet at the hearing many questioned her about the past security breaches, including the 2011 incident of shots being fired at the White House. After the meeting, even more new and embarrassing revelations arose regarding breaches of safety of the Obama family, including some that even the President had no knowledge of. Prior to the drama circulating around the White House, Pierson received full support from both the President and his associates, but once new information about gaps in presidential security surfaced, President Obama immediately stated that “new leadership of the agency was required,” according to press secretary, John Earnest.

Amid these revelations and loss of support, Pierson promptly resigned on Wednesday, October 1st.