Opinion: Gate-crashing Salahis are back, with a lawyer

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They were tagged as White House gate-crashers, spoilers at President Obama‘s first state dinner in November. Today, before a House Homeland Security subcommittee, Michaele and Tareq Salahi took the Fifth.

Texas Democrat Sheila Jackson-Lee slammed the couple, assailing their patriotism. In the face of all questions, they maintained their right to remain silent.

But their attorney did not. In a blistering news conference, Stephen Best said the Salahis are innocent and ‘committed no criminal act.’ He said the couple ‘believed in their hearts 100% that they were invited,’ and said that if there was a misunderstanding, it was caused by ‘a representative of the government.’

The lawyer’s comments echoed similar ones Tareq Salahi made recently in Las Vegas. Saying the couple was ‘sick of’ being vilified, he added, ‘We were invited to the White House and that will come out. There’s a reason why the White House isn’t pushing the story. There’s your big story.’

-- Johanna Neuman

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