Treasury Department Memorandum


DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

May 1, 1995

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

MEMORANDUM FOR SECRETARY RUBIN

FROM:

Valerie Lau (signed)
Inspector General

SUBJECT:

Department of Treasury's White House Security Review

Introduction

On September 12, 1994, the Department announced a two-phased inquiry into the aircraft crash that day at the White House. The Secretary asked Mr. Ronald K. Noble, Under Secretary for Enforcement, and Mr. Eljay Bowron, Director of the United States Secret Service (Secret Service), to conduct a multi-agency law enforcement investigation of the aircraft crash and to lead a thorough review of the procedures used to protect the President and First Family in such incidents. As part of this review, the Department was to examine and evaluate:

1

The Department further announced the Secretary's selection of an independent advisory committee to monitor and provide guidance to the review team and to ensure a comprehensive and impartial review. The advisory committee members were selected because of their national prominence, integrity and law enforcement or other relevant expertise. The advisory committee was responsible for reviewing the review team's findings and providing an independent assessment of the information contained in the final report.

Role of the Office of Inspector General

The Under Secretary for Enforcement requested the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to monitor the review and its findings and report to the Secretary on the thoroughness and objectivity of the review's final report. Also, the OIG was to comment on whether relevant information obtained during the investigation was properly consolidated and included in the final report.

The OIG's oversight role expanded to 'include subsequent events added to the scope of the review. For example, the OIG monitored the review team's examination of the October 29, 1994 shooting which occurred at the White House.

OIG Opinion

In our opinion,-the Department's review was both objective and comprehensive. The review team vigorously and thoroughly examined al significant information surrounding the September 12, -1994 aircraft crash, the October 29, 1994 shooting incident, and other pertinent aspects of White House security. In addition, the review team's report addresses all the issues that either were included in the team's investigative plan or otherwise came to the review team's attention. To the best of our knowledge, the review team's findings are consistent with the facts developed and accurately reflect the circumstances surrounding the aircraft crash and the shooting.

Scope and Methodology

We arrived at our conclusions by determining whether the review team

From the project's outset, we provided our views and comments on an ongoing basis to the project leadership as we thought would be appropriate, The team satisfactorily addressed our issues and associated questions during the review,

Our opinion is based on our review of

We participated in selected interviews where we observed the review team's work, and we accompanied the team on walkthroughs of the White House and the FAA's flight control tower at National Airport. We also attended numerous team status meetings in which project leaders discussed the team's' efforts and the follow-up necessary to satisfactorily pursue and resolve issues,

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We attended advisory committee briefings to observe the quality of the information provided for the advisory committee's use in assessing Treasury's White House security review. We believe that the information provided was accurate, based on information obtained at that time by team investigators, and was relevant to the main issues under examination. Additionally we attended selected briefings with experts employed to assist in evaluating Secret Service's tactical operations and training. The experts' recommendations have adequately been considered and the results of their reports have been incorporated in the final report.

Conclusion

In our opinion, the review team's report provides an accurate account of the events examined. Furthermore, we believe that any conclusions made by the review team have a basis in fact and are consistent with the nature of the findings developed.

During the course of our oversight role, the project leaders cooperated fully and provided us unrestricted access to the information and documentation compiled by the review team during its investigation. We would like to compliment the team for a job well done.


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