House Committee to Subpoena White House Party Crashers

Meredith Jessup | December 03, 2009 3:32 PM

After Michaele and Tareq Salahi failed to appear this morning for a hearing on last week's White House state dinner security breach, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) has ordered the staff of the House Homeland Security Committee to prepare subpoenas for the couple.

PoliticsDaily reports:

Thompson, chairman of the committee, said the Salahis will be subject to contempt of Congress charges if they continue to refuse to speak to his committee and added, "I hope they will be as willing to talk to Congress as they have been to talk to media."

Whew! Snarky, snark snark! Interestingly enough, however, Thompson is not requesting a subpoena to compel the testimony of White House social secretary Desiree Rogers who has refused to appear before the committee as well. Thompson claims Rogers will not be questioned because she is "not involved in the security of the White House" and because she "will be busy entertaining at the White House during the holiday season."

But Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) insists that Rogers should be called in for questioning as the party's guest list falls under her duties as the president's social secretary. In addition, there are reports that Rogers broke security protocal instructed staff not to check guests' names against a master list of invitees.