Acting Director of the Secret Service Joseph Clancy told Congress he was devastated to learn how deep the rot ran in the organization charged to protect the president. Clancy recently took over the Secret Service after former Director Julia Pierson resigned after a man jumped the White House fence in September and was only stopped by an off duty officer in the building. “Instead of remaining the organization that prides itself on operating silently and courageously behind the scenes, we are now in the public spotlight,” Clancy told the House in a written statement. “This has had detrimental effects on workforce morale and operational security, both with potentially dire consequences. I am conducting a comprehensive, bottom-to-top assessment to determine the root cause behind any of these missteps.” To fix the blight in the Secret Service, Clancy boosted security at the White House and said he opened lines of communication within the department. But when asked if the people in the service – who initially lied about the extent of the security breaches to cover the agency’s reputation – were disciplined, Clancy said those people remain undisciplined. Another scandal, another leader, and the blight continues. More…