PHILADELPHIA �� Federal authorities have identified a Philadelphia journalist as the woman who infiltrated and might have secretly recorded a private discussion of congressional Republicans at their retreat last week, law enforcement sources familiar with the matter said.
The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said Emily Guendelsberger is unlikely to face federal charges in Philadelphia, despite getting past security and into a room in the hotel where Vice President Pence met privately with senators and representatives.
But it is unclear whether she could face local prosecution for covertly recording the conversations, a possible violation of state law. That decision falls to the Philadelphia district attorney, the sources said.
Cameron Kline, spokesman for the district attorney's office, declined to say whether the office was involved in any such investigation. The U.S. Capitol Police, who are responsible for security at congressional events, would not discuss the investigation.
Guendelsberger and her lawyer, Lloyd Long, also declined to comment. Law enforcement officials said both were contacted this week by Capitol Police, who are leading the investigation with aid from the U.S. Secret Service and the Philadelphia Police Department.
Guendelsberger, 33, is a freelance journalist who formerly worked as a copy editor at the Daily News, at Philadelphia City Paper, and as an editor for the Onion, the satirical newspaper and website.
The secret recordings she is suspected of making were later released anonymously to a half-dozen media outlets. The stories they fueled also stirred calls from congressional Republicans to determine how an intruder managed to bypass security and record their private gathering.
One recording revealed lawmakers airing concerns about the practical difficulties of repealing and replacing former President Barack Obama's health care law, and other political issues. Another included audio from a session with Pence, suggesting that the intruder was in the same room.
The Congressional Institute, the nonprofit that organized the retreat, said in an email to lawmakers last week that the intruder "misrepresented herself" several times and used counterfeit credentials.
However, she went through the same security checkpoints as every other attendee at the conference, said the letter, obtained last week by the Associated Press.
����
(Chris Palmer contributed to this report.)
