Secret Service Under Fire (Press, 23 January 1979)
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Summary: Secret Service Under Fire (Press, 23 January 1979)
The United States Secret Service has faced criticism following a report by the "Chicago Sun-Times" indicating that First Lady Rosalynn Carter met with John Gacy at a private reception in 1978. Gacy, who has been charged with the murders of seven young males and is alleged to have confessed to 32 killings, was photographed shaking hands with Mrs Carter at the event. The meeting occurred during a Polish Constitution Day celebration, a context within which Mrs Carter was engaging with local Democrats as part of an initiative to strengthen relations during her husband President Jimmy Carter’s administration. The article, authored by columnists Art Petacque and Hugh Hough, featured a photograph of Mrs Carter alongside Gacy, who was also identified as a precinct-level political worker. Notably, Gacy's jacket bore an emblem suggesting Secret Service clearance, prompting concerns about the agency's procedures. Mary Finch Hoyt, Mrs Carter’s news secretary, described the encounter as an "unusual coincidence" and insisted that Mrs Carter had no prior knowledge of Gacy's criminal background, emphasizing that it was common for her to meet event organisers afterwards and have photos taken. In response to the fallout from the article, Jack Warner, assistant director of the Secret Service, confirmed the agency was investigating the incident, although the Chicago office declined to comment further. A signed photograph from Mrs Carter to Gacy, dated May 6, is referenced in the report, raising questions about the security protocols during the reception. The incident has heightened scrutiny of the Secret Service's operational oversight in the wake of Gacy's notoriety as a serial killer.
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