New Secret Service head comes from Comcast

The new acting director of the U.S. Secret Service is coming from Comcast.

Joseph Clancy, who was appointed acting head of the agency on Wednesday after Director Julia Pierson resigned following a series of major security breaches, retired from his post leading the agency’s Presidential Protective Division in 2011.

{mosads}Since then, he’s been working for the Philadelphia-based cable giant.

Since May, Clancy has been the executive director of Comcast Cable Security. Before that, he led Comcast’s corporate security, overseeing investigations and helping to protect the organization and its billions of dollars in annual earnings.

In a statement, the country’s largest cable company called Clancy “an exceptional security professional… who has distinguished himself throughout his career for his integrity and strong management skills.” 

“During more than three years at Comcast he was an integral part of our security team and we are sad to see him leave,” Comcast added. “We are highly confident he will be an outstanding interim leader for the Secret Service and we wish him the very best.”

Pierson resigned a day after a tense hearing on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers from both sides of the aisle criticized her oversight of the agency tasked with protecting President Obama and his family. Calls for her to step down had mounted throughout the day. 

Clancy will take the helm of the agency at one of the lowest points in its history, but he seems to have the support of the Obama administration and leading lawmakers.  

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said in a statement that he appreciated Clancy’s “willingness to leave his position in the private sector on very short notice and return to public service for a period.”

He earned similarly kind words from Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who said he both “know[s] and respect[s]” him.