Story Created:
Feb 26, 2010 at 1:15 PM PST
Story Updated:
Mar 1, 2010 at 11:42 AM PST
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Desiree Rogers, the White House social secretary, plans to step down, three sources familiar with the situation told CNN Friday.
Her office came under scrutiny after a couple who lacked an invitation were allowed into President Barack Obama's first state dinner.
"We are enormously grateful to Desiree Rogers for the terrific job she's done as the White House social secretary," the president and first lady said in a statement released Friday. "When she took this position, we asked Desiree to help make sure that the White House truly is the People's House, and she did that by welcoming scores of everyday Americans through its doors, from wounded warriors to local schoolchildren to NASCAR drivers.
"She organized hundreds of fun and creative events during her time here, and we will miss her. We thank her again for her service and wish her all the best in her future endeavors."
Officials with the White House and the administration, as well as a colleague of Rogers, told CNN of her plans to leave.
Rogers said in an e-mail to CNN on Friday, "It has been incredible setting the foundation for the [White House] for this historical presidency. Headed back to private sector. "
In December, the White House was accused of stonewalling as Congress investigated the party-crasher security breach at Obama's first state dinner. At issue was whether the White House was protecting Rogers from testifying about how Tareq and Michaele Salahi were able to crash the first White House state dinner. The couple did not have an invite but were allowed in.
Rogers' office planned the dinner.
At the time, Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan said his agency would take the heat for the incident.
"This is our fault and our fault alone," he told federal lawmakers. "There's no other people to blame here. ... Look at me and blame me," he told members of the House Homeland Security Committee.
CNN's Ed Henry, Suzanne Malveaux and John King contributed to this report.
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