Man Posing as Congressman Went Backstage at Obama Event

More security embarrassment

An unnamed man claiming to be a member of Congress made his way into a secure area backstage at an event President Barack Obama attended last week, an unidentified White House official told Bloomberg.

The impostor claimed he was Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.), according to the official. The man was asked to leave the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation awards dinner after another member of the White House staff recognized that he was not actually the congressman. The man left without incident and was not detained.

According to Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary, the man went through security clearance and was fully screened.