By: (AP) Some reporters and aides to members of Congress had difficulties getting their official credentials in time for today's inauguration ceremony.
Between 10 percent and 15 percent of the 1,000 television reporters and crew who applied for official passes to be admitted to high security zones did not get them, said Larry Janezich, director of the Senate radio and television press gallery.
A few print reporters planning to cover the first moments of President Bush's second term also did not receive the proper credential despite being fingerprinted, photographed and going through a security review.
"Anyone who hasn't, that's a reporter unable to do his or her job today," said Jim Drinkard, a political reporter for USA Today and chairman of the correspondents' committee in charge of daily press and their credentials at the Capitol.
Reporters were not the only people affected. Some Senate staffers, including members of the Senate sergeant-at-arms office and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's office, had problems getting the identification cards before the inauguration.
In several instances, names were wrong. In one case, a man's name was on a pass with a woman's photo.
U.S. Capitol Police issued the official passes to media and employees of Congress planning to be in the Capitol the day of inauguration. Michael Lauer, a Capitol Police spokesman, said he could not comment immediately on the problems.
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