I don't ever remember seeing a bag or brief case opened upon entering the OEOB (where I usually worked), or the West Wing. But when I (infrequently) entered the West Wing, I was always personally escorted. But my bag was never searched.
But remember, I'm talking about folks with credentials who have been pre-screened, had the background check, etc.
This is from 20 years ago - maybe things have changed.
Even when they brought dogs in, they were only looking for bombs & stuff. I worked on the presidential transition in 1992, and before anyone important ever came over to the official transition headquarters (the real action didn't happen at the transition hq very often), they'd bring in the German shepherds and sniff pretty damned thoroughly. But I know there were folks holding (it was the CLINTON transition, for pete’s sake - every third person had pot with him or her!), and the dogs weren't interested.
I imagine the Secret Service is far more concerned with its primary White House mission - protect the life of the president and the other principals - than with whether folks are lighting up in the bathroom or something.
sitetest
i’m guessing there wasn’t any poop on the walls over there during the transition like there was 8 years later as the classless a-hats were ejected. i bet that really got you steamed
anyhow, i believe the threat calculus has probably changed since 9-11. if it hasn’t, it really should be. cell phones offer enough space to carry a concealed explosive that could kill a single target. other substances could be brought in to compromise food or even various contact poisons could be dispensed with little notice.
(i doubt i’m giving anyone in the field any ideas they hadn’t thought of 40+ years ago)
i understand background checks and various analysis can weed out 90%+ of the possible threats... but the ss should really be aware of everything entering the WH