Secret Service "Embarrassed" by Reality Couple's Breach

Secret Service director Mark Sullivan issued a statement in which he pins the blame on admittance of the state dinner crashers on a lax security checkpoint. The couple, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, are due to appear on "Larry King Live" on Monday to explain their side of the story. The White House also is confirming to members of the media that the couple met President Obama in the receiving line, left, as did all guests, where comments are usually perfunctory. Obama has ordered a review of the incident.

The couple is known in D.C. social circles, having been married in a lavish wedding ceremony and, in the case of Michaele, having boasted of being a one-time Redskins cheerleader and Victoria's Secret model.

The statement from Sullivan:

"The Secret Service is deeply concerned and embarrassed by the circumstances surrounding the State Dinner on Tuesday, November 24.

The preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint, verifying that two individuals were on the guest list.

Although these individuals went through magnetometers and other levels of screening, they should have been prohibited from entering the event entirely. That failing is ours.

The Secret Service safely processed more than 1.2 million visitors last year to the White House complex. In the last several years, the agency has successfully protected more than 10,000 sites for the President, Vice President and other Secret Service protectees, screening more than 7 million people through magnetometers at campaign related events, with more than 1 million during the Inauguration alone.

Even with these successes, we need to be right 100% of the time. While we have protocols in place to address these situations, we must ensure that they are followed each and every time.

As our investigation continues, appropriate measures have been taken to ensure this is not repeated.

The men and women of the U.S. Secret Service are committed to providing the highest level of security for those we are charged to protect, and we will do whatever is necessary to accomplish this mission."