CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Secret Service

Interview

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We're joined now by the delegate to the House of Representatives from here in Washington, the District of Columbia, Eleanor Holmes Norton.

Thanks so much for joining us.

You were there. You took part in the hearing. You are a member of this committee. You still have confidence in the Secret Service director, Julia Pierson?

DEL. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON (D), WASHINGTON, D.C.: Well, Wolf, after hearing her testimony, it became clear to me this is not a personnel issue.

It is much bigger than that. The Secret Service needs a makeover. The Secret Service, those who do such a normally wonderful job, in front of the White House and in back of the White House, are trained to deal with you and me. We're tourists.

I want to fight the next war, because the next war, not the war we just had, one demented veteran jumping over the fence, next time, it could be in the age of terrorism six or seven or 12. Is the Secret Service of today, a 21st century Secret Service, able to confront what could be terrorists in an age of ISIL and domestic and international terrorism?

While there are commonsense things that could be done -- one of my favorites, you just mentioned, a higher fence. Those become clear once we see what has already happened. But we have got to start planning for what could happen, both in front of the White House and in back of the White House, and that's where, that's why I believe that the Secret Service of today needs a 21st century makeover.

BLITZER: It sounds to me like you don't have a lot of confidence in the current leadership there, including the director.

NORTON: Well, to tell you the truth, I think if you were to replace her and just put another competent person -- she's only been there 18 months -- without a thorough top-to-bottom investigation of how to restructure that organization to fit the age of terrorism, you might not come out any differently.

They have also been punished terribly with resources. She says she was down 500 agents. How are you going to take care of the White House when you're moving people around just to fill gaps?

BLITZER: Is that because of the forced budget cuts, the so- called sequestration? Is that why they have cut spending?

NORTON: Absolutely.

BLITZER: Because, as we all know -- and I think you have studied this. The threats against this president of the United States, President Obama, have increased compared to earlier presidents.

NORTON: Well, initially, they were three times what other presidents had incurred.

These budget cuts did not waive any police service, including the Secret Service. So I think Congress has to take some of the responsibility. She, by the way, didn't even mention that. I have looked at the figures. She did mention under questioning that she was down 500 agents. That tells you a lot right there.

But we need to look, Wolf, at this agency which was meant to make sure that tourists didn't get to close to the fence, and that they were hospitable to them, and if one of these fence jumpers, and almost all are harmless, came over, you could just tackle them and cart them off to St. Elizabeth asylum or wherever they take them.

That's not who I think is going to start thinking about coming over here. We have at least 100 Americans who have gone over already to fight with ISIL. We know that they are recruiting in this country. They don't have to go over there. You can start right here and go to the White House. That's how I think we have to start thinking if we want to make sure that we have dealt with what could really be the looming danger ahead.

BLITZER: That's a pretty terrifying thought that you just conveyed.

But I think it is one of the great fears that so many U.S. officials have right now.

Eleanor Holmes Norton is the delegate from the District of Columbia. She was at that hearing earlier today.

Thanks so much for joining us.

NORTON: Always a pleasure, Wolf.

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