Meet the Man Who’s Now Running the Secret Service

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — After the resignation of Secret Service Director Julia Pierson earlier this week, the agency has brought in Joe Clancy to temporarily lead the elite unit charged with protecting the president of the United States and his family until a permanent replacement is hired.

Reportedly nicknamed “Father Joe” because friends and colleagues believe he looks like a priest, here are five things to know about the 58-year-old now in charge of President Obama’s security:

1. HE’S NOT A NEWCOMER.

Clancy was formerly the head of Secret Service’s Presidential Protective Division, which he retired from in 2011. In a press conference Wednesday, Press Secretary Josh Earnest said, “He is somebody who has earned the respect and admiration of the men and women who were his colleagues at the United States Secret Service. He is also somebody who has the full confidence of the president and the first lady.” Besides Obama, Clancy also worked for President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush.

2. HE HAS EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH SCANDAL.

Back in 2009, Washington socialites Michaele and Tareq Salahi crashed a White House party. According to the New York Times, Clancy was in charge of White House Security, but the incident was more of an embarrassment for then Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan.

3. HE USED TO TEACH HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY.

During the ’80s, Clancy taught history at Father Judge’s High School, an all-boys Catholic school in Philadelphia. To be exact, his subjects were Modern European History and American Government.

4. HE’S A WEST POINT DROPOUT.

Earnest had accidentally said that Clancy graduated from West Point. Earnest however made the correction later and said that the White House had been mistaken. Clancy attended West Point, but dropped out due to poor grades, and went on to finish his bachelor’s degree at Villanova University.

5. HE PREVIOUSLY WORKED FOR COMCAST.

Clancy returned to Washington from Philadelphia, where he was the director of corporate security for the cable giant. In a statement, Comcast said, “During more than three years at Comcast he was an integral part of our security team and we are sad to see him leave.”

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