State Department bussed third party crasher to State dinner

The State Department shuttled the newly revealed third State Dinner party crasher from a local Washington hotel to the White House and aided his entry, State Department sources said Thursday.

The third crasher, whose existence was announced by the Secret Service Monday, snuck into a group of Indian businessmen who had been given State Department logistical assistance at the request of the Indian Embassy, a State Department official said.

"Apparently it was a group of Indian CEOs who were at this hotel. They were people who were important to us and important to the embassy, so they asked for us to facilitate their travel to the White House," the official said, adding that the third crasher was believed to be an American citizen.

It’s not common for the State Department to cart foreign businessmen around Washington, the official said, adding that it was not clear how much government resources were used.

The Secret Service released a statement Monday stating that the third crasher did gain entry to the dinner, did go through security, but did not have any interactions with President Obama.

"This is now a matter that’s under investigation, it’s a very serious ongoing criminal investigation," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Monday.

"Apparently there was a group that was under our responsibility that went from a local hotel to the White House, and there was a person that was not authorized to be in that group that inserted himself or herself into that group."