Robert Latta

The 1985 White House intrusion occurred on January 20, 1985 when Robert Allen Latta, a 45-year-old water meter reader, successfully entered the White House uninvited.

Background Latta, of Denver, Colorado, held a master's degree in mechanical engineering and worked as a water meter reader for the Denver water department, where he held the Denver meter-reading record of 600 readings in a single day. Latta reportedly did not know he was doing anything illegal, and was quoted as saying "I thought if I wasn't supposed to be there, somebody would stop me" and that "I just wanted to see the ceremony...I'm kind of patriotic."

Wilson recommended further psychiatric study of Latta and a hearing commissioner on January 21 ordered Latta to undergo mental evaluation, but that order was not received by city psychiatrists until three days later, several hours after he had posted bond The unlawful entry had a maximum penalty of six months in jail, but because it was only a misdemeanor, Washington, D.C., prosecutors could not extradite him from Colorado if he did not return voluntarily.

In popular culture Comedian Rich Hall regularly imitated Latta as part of his comedy routine on Saturday Night Live in 1985.