Posted on 04/18/2012 6:22:32 PM PDT by smoothsailing
April 18, 2012
Bridget Johnson
Three Secret Service agents became the first to fall in the Colombian prostitution scandal today, with the agency announcing that two supervisors and one agent will step down.
Eight more remain under investigation and on suspension as one of the supervisors retired, the other was “proposed for removal for cause” (which can be challenged), and the agent resigned.
“The Secret Service continues to conduct a full, thorough and fair investigation, utilizing all investigative techniques available to our agency,” the assistant director of the U.S. Secret Service Office of Government and Public Affairs, Paul Morrissey, said in a statement. “This includes polygraph examinations, interviews with the employees involved, and witness interviews, to include interviews being conducted by our Office of Professional Responsibility in Cartagena, Colombia.”
Over on the Hill, the chairman and ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee wrote the Secret Service director, Mark J. Sullivan, a letter that accused the agents of bringing the prostitutes into contact with “sensitive security information.”
The letter was first released to ABC News’ Jake Tapper, then Rep. Darrell Issa (Calif.) tweeted a copy.
Issa and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) noted that Sullivan briefed members early this week on “steps the agency has taken to investigate this matter and your plans for preventing a recurrence.”
“The facts as you described them raised questions about the agency’s culture,” the congressmen wrote. “The incident in Cartagena is troubling because Secret Service agents and officers made a range of bad decisions, from drinking too much, to engaging with prostitutes, to bringing foreign nationals into contact with sensitive security information, to exposing themselves to blackmail and other forms of potential compromise.”
The committee leaders then asked Sullivan for 10 things to aid the Oversight investigation, including a detailed description of events and timeline, an accounting of all U.S. government personnel who knew about the incident, and the agency’s investigative findings including information received from Colombian authorities.
Issa and Cummings also want the disciplinary histories of the agents involved dating back 10 years, and summaries of any other disciplinary actions that were taken against any other personnel as a result of misconduct on overseas trips since 2007.
“Has the USSS been able to determine that all women involved in this incident were at least 18 years of age?” the letter asks, noting that the involvement of underage prostitutes violates the law under which a U.S. citizen traveling to a foreign locale cannot engage in “illicit sexual conduct.”
“Your swift and decisive action in response to this scandal has given us confidence that the agency will complete a thorough investigation and take steps to ensure that similar lapses in judgment will never again jeopardize the important work of the U.S. Secret Service.”
Issa and Cummings told Sullivan that “your task is to restore the world’s confidence in the U.S. Secret Service.”
The New York Times got the first interview with the prostitute whose argument over payment led to the discovery of the activities of the Secret Service agents and a handful of military personnel under investigation by the Department of Defense.
She claimed she was a high-priced escort and charged the agent $800 when he offered only $30. She also noted that not only did she spend the entire night in the agent’s room, only to be woken by a call from the front desk, but when she wanted help getting her money she fetched another prostitute who had stayed the whole night with an agent across the hall.
The woman told the Times that she was not interested in cooperating with American investigators and is planning to leave Cartagena soon.
Talking with reporters en route to a President Obama speech in Ohio today, White House spokesman Jay Carney said that the scandal wasn’t detracting from Obama’s economic message and quest to cast government as a force for good.
“The president has been crystal clear since he was a candidate about the standards that he insists be met by those who work for the federal government and on behalf of the American people and for the American people,” Carney said.
“You have heard the president speak recently on the matter involving the Secret Service. I don’t have anything to add to that.”
If you check Phildragoo’s posts you will see the one of her dancing with the supposed ‘popper’ in her hand. I had to look it up - didn’t know what they were, lol.
Drudge has a number of links to SS articles tonight.
Forgot to ping you to post #62
Somehow, I remember Clintoon with his pants around his ankles, whilst on the phone with (a Senator??) discussing government business, while rolling a cigar; whilst Monica had his unit in her hands giving pleasure to the POS-POTUS.
Why is a Columbian whore so disgustingly different than a Clintoon deposit in the oral office sink????
Other than the ones that are married, I fail to see what they did that was so wrong.
Why do I have the feeling that Ronald Reagan’s agents would never in a million years go rogue stupid like Ubama’s guys did? It comes down to a matter of respect. If you don’t respect your boss, your work product suffers. If you respect your boss, you work harder and go above and beyond what is expected of you.
Do you think the Democrat “mainstream” newsrooms would ever connect those dots?
Not in a million years.
Well, I’m a woman so I’ll refrain from comments, lol.
One wrong not punished does not justify all wrongs not punished. That is the thinking that is permissive with corruption. Dems started it to get Clinton out of hot water (everybody does it!) and everyone has been using it since then to justify corruption (everyone is corrupt; so what).
If the American people embrace an ethical expectation of those in government and power again, it will end up coming back onto all government agencies.
Things for the Service probably started going down hill after getting scarfed up by DHS. You start throwing all your eggs, or apples into one big basket, and you’re going to wind up with a whole lot of broken eggs and rotten apples.
Interesting huh? I would imagine it’s a major embarrassment to have this picture out on the web!
Makes sense, thanks
It’s weird, the whole Columbia thing is weird.
I want my country back.
Lol.
I want my country back too SS. Over half a year of who knows what until we evict him - I pray!
As to what went on down there, it may have happened other times that we never knew about. Who knows?
I think she'll leave the public stage for good after the next election, regardless of who wins.
I think you nailed it.
The Secret Service agents were formerly under the Department of the Treasury (see my post # 56)
Now they've been thrown in under the Department of Homeland Security. This HAS to have a psychological effect on the SS agents who've always been considered "elite", like "Seals", "Green Berets", whatever.
Suppose you are a Secret Service Agent......consider now you've been thrown unceremoniously into the same mix with FEMA employees, the DHS airport security union thugs, not to mention the head DHS thug-ette, Janet Napolitano......do you still feel so "elite" NOW?
These agent guys were not "set up" by little Miss Mata Hari Rodriguez or by the elaborate plans of Columbian operatives as many conspiracy-prone posters here are vainly hoping for. These myths should be put to rest. These men let their special status slip through their fingers because for some reason they abandoned their moral principles. But why did they succumb to temptation like frat boys at their first Daytona Beach spring break?
Well, I for one have little doubt that many Secret Service agents have undergone an identity, pride and morale problem under Obama and his regime. Once an experienced, educated person who has attained a position in a highly admired, unique specialized service loses an ingrained feeling about his job that he's a "cut above", he may not act like he's a cut above anyone, anymore.
He may be rapidly realizing that under the ideology of the present DC communist regime, there's no such thing as "elites" to be desired or operating. All animals in the l984 farm are equal.
This is why Obama will be merciless with these guys who screwed up, the innocent and guilty alike will be thrown under the bus or stigmatized.
Those familiar with communist goals and workings will instantly know what I mean when I posit that the Secret Service as well as its agents will soon be reduced in public admiration by Obama. They will be reduced to the glamor and status usually assigned to the lumpen DC Park Police.
Remember, only the members of the Ruling Politburo can be "elite" and "special" in the new world order. Secret Service Agents, union security thugs at airports, post office letter-sorters, teachers, doctors....all will be equal toilers in the government bureaucratic fields....no one employee any higher, better or more elite than any others.
May I add, that although the term "elite" may be offensive to some, I think the members of ANY "elite" forces who are specially trained and prepared to lay down their lives at a moment's notice for their country or their assigned charge...well, they're entitled to their little conceit if they care to entertain it.
Leni
Sort of like the Komitet Gosudarstvenoy Besoposnosti -- KGB? It became a society of gangsters... Hopefully not.
There may still be more to be revealed yet... I think I will wait and see where the moving finger concludes its pointing. ;-)
The state of the Secret Service is exactly what I would expect it to be with the kind of chief executive they have.
No morals, no ethics, no truth...
The fool is so damn arrogant he doesn’t even realize that he is fostering an environment that is actually endangering him and our country.
Incredible times...
In regard to Miss Mata Hari...have you seen her pic? Can you really blame them? LOL.
Besides he probably want the Black Panthers to provide him protection.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.