Thread: USSS Agents investigated for misconduct

Not good....


The U.S. Secret Service is investigating allegations of misconduct by agents who had been sent to Cartagena, Colombia, to provide security for President Obama’s trip to a summit that began there Friday.

Edwin Donovan, an agency spokesman, said that an unspecified number of agents have been recalled and replaced with others, stressing that Obama’s security has not been compromised because of the change. Obama arrived in Cartagena on Friday afternoon for this weekend’s Summit of the Americas, a gathering of 33 of the hemisphere’s 35 leaders to discuss economic policy and

Donovan declined to disclose details about the nature of the alleged misconduct. But Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said the accusations relate to at least one agent having involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena.

In a statement, Donovan said the matter has been turned over to the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which serves as the agency’s internal affairs unit.

“The Secret Service takes all allegations of misconduct seriously,” Donovan said. “These personnel changes will not affect the comprehensive security plan that has been prepared in advance of the President’s trip.”

Adler said the entire unit was recalled for purposes of the investigation. The Secret Service “responded appropriately” and is “looking at a very serious allegation,” he said, adding that the agency “needs to properly investigate and fairly ascertain the merits of the allegations.”

The Washington Post was alerted to the investigation by Ronald Kessler, a former Post reporter and author of several nonfiction books, including the book “In the President’s Secret Service: Behind the Scenes With Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect.”

Kessler said he was told that a dozen agents had been removed from the trip. He added that soliciting prostitution is considered inappropriate by the Secret Service, even though it is legal in Colombia when conducted in designated “tolerance zones.” However, Kessler added, several of the agents involved are married.

There have been other incidents involving Obama’s security detail over the past year.

In November, Christopher W. Deedy, a federal agent with the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, was charged with second-degree murder after shooting a man during a dispute outside a McDonald’s in Hono*lulu. Though Deedy was off-duty at the time, he was on the island to provide advance security arrangements for Obama’s trip to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

In August, Daniel L. Valencia, a Secret Service agent, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Decorah, Iowa, where he was helping arrange security for Obama’s bus trip through three Midwestern states. Valencia, who was off-duty at the time of the arrest, was recently sentenced to two days in jail with credit for time served, and a fine of $1,250.



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Donovan declined to disclose details about the nature of the alleged misconduct. But Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said the accusations relate to at least one agent having involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena.

Maybe it's just me, but in the face of media questioning, I'd probably let the Secret Service deal with their own problems and mind my own business.

we are at all time new lows of government mistrust (or trust maybe I should say), general anti-governmentism exists, etc etc

my USSS buddies are solid folks, lets support them however we can

Author Ronald Kessler seems to be driving much of the media attention on this issue. He has written about FBI, USSS and the White House. For some reason he seems to want to make USSS look bad by saying this is the worst scandal in their history, etc. That seems a little over the top.

We don't know exactly what happened, but I don't see the Colombian government making any public waves over this. My big question would be "did the drinking and partying cause the USSS agents to be unable to go on duty when needed?" I guess the real crime here is that they embarrassed the service.

I don't care that the agents were cavorting with hookers off duty. I am more concerned that they would be too hung over to be alert during their security advance work in a dangerous part of the world.

The thing that bothers me the most about this is the use of prostitutes in Columbia. (having neverworked there for factors that are implicit in this statement) It's like going to your grandma's house and paying for apple pie...

Everytime I read this story I can't help but think of the episode of Seinfield where George is getting fired for having sex with the Secretary on top of his desk.

"Was that Wrong?" "You know if someone would have mentioned to me when I got hired that that kind of thing was frowned down upon around here I never would have done it!" LOL

Originally Posted by CustomsGS

We don't know exactly what happened, but I don't see the Colombian government making any public waves over this. My big question would be "did the drinking and partying cause the USSS agents to be unable to go on duty when needed?" I guess the real crime here is that they embarrassed the service.

I don't care that the agents were cavorting with hookers off duty. I am more concerned that they would be too hung over to be alert during their security advance work in a dangerous part of the world.

I beg to differ. My big question is "If this is an indication of their judgment and decision-making abilities, should they be trusted with any public-sector job more important than checking books in and out of the local library?"

One of the more recent updates on CNN indicated the hotel where they allegedly brought the prostitutes to had been secured for the event. That's probably going to be their biggest problem in the internal investigation, I would guess.

We don't know exactly what happened, but I don't see the Colombian government making any public waves over this. My big question would be "did the drinking and partying cause the USSS agents to be unable to go on duty when needed?" I guess the real crime here is that they embarrassed the service.

Lets face it. There is no on duty or off duty as a USSS agent. Having been through the interview process the USSS is very concerned with appearance and personal conduct.

A couple questions immediately come to mind. Imagine them coming from a defense attorney or background investigator...

S/A Smith. Is there any reason to question your honesty, integrity, your personal conduct?

S/A Smith. Is there any reason to believe you could be blackmailed, coerced or compromised?

You can only be coerced or compromised if you care that you're found out...

Might I suggest that rarely does someone initiate themselves into the oldest profession outside of their own country...if they're throwin' it around overseas, they're veterans...

To...for one moment...believe that the drinking or cavorting in this particular instance is somehow new...is extremely naive...

To think that it is reflective of anything job related...may be a worthwhile discussion...

Like Charlie Sheen says..."I don't pay them to stay, I pay them to leave"...

Much ado about nothing I believe...CC

You can only be coerced or compromised if you care that you're found out...

True. Guess I saw other possible problems outside of possibly showing up late or drunk for their detail.

What bothers me the most about this is who dimed them out? Yeah, I've heard the hotel, police, lists, etc. First, since the newsies were all staying there, it wasn't secured. Second, they were all criminally stupid, drunk or both for taking hookers into that hotel under media coverage.

This won't go down well when OPR starts dangling 1001 and loss of pension in front of these guys. It's going to be who gets on the bus first. I see them trying make a clean sweep. Hey, where's FLEOA? Let's see how USSS tries to get around MSPB on this. Last I looked, an indiscretion didn't get you terminated. Should get them beach time and a management directed reassignment. Interesting to see the political mumbo jumbo from this.

USSS Agents investigated for misconduct
Not good....


The U.S. Secret Service is investigating allegations of misconduct by agents who had been sent to Cartagena, Colombia, to provide security for President Obama’s trip to a summit that began there Friday.

Edwin Donovan, an agency spokesman, said that an unspecified number of agents have been recalled and replaced with others, stressing that Obama’s security has not been compromised because of the change. Obama arrived in Cartagena on Friday afternoon for this weekend’s Summit of the Americas, a gathering of 33 of the hemisphere’s 35 leaders to discuss economic policy and

Donovan declined to disclose details about the nature of the alleged misconduct. But Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, said the accusations relate to at least one agent having involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena.

In a statement, Donovan said the matter has been turned over to the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which serves as the agency’s internal affairs unit.

“The Secret Service takes all allegations of misconduct seriously,” Donovan said. “These personnel changes will not affect the comprehensive security plan that has been prepared in advance of the President’s trip.”

Adler said the entire unit was recalled for purposes of the investigation. The Secret Service “responded appropriately” and is “looking at a very serious allegation,” he said, adding that the agency “needs to properly investigate and fairly ascertain the merits of the allegations.”

The Washington Post was alerted to the investigation by Ronald Kessler, a former Post reporter and author of several nonfiction books, including the book “In the President’s Secret Service: Behind the Scenes With Agents in the Line of Fire and the Presidents They Protect.”

Kessler said he was told that a dozen agents had been removed from the trip. He added that soliciting prostitution is considered inappropriate by the Secret Service, even though it is legal in Colombia when conducted in designated “tolerance zones.” However, Kessler added, several of the agents involved are married.

There have been other incidents involving Obama’s security detail over the past year.

In November, Christopher W. Deedy, a federal agent with the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, was charged with second-degree murder after shooting a man during a dispute outside a McDonald’s in Hono*lulu. Though Deedy was off-duty at the time, he was on the island to provide advance security arrangements for Obama’s trip to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

In August, Daniel L. Valencia, a Secret Service agent, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving in Decorah, Iowa, where he was helping arrange security for Obama’s bus trip through three Midwestern states. Valencia, who was off-duty at the time of the arrest, was recently sentenced to two days in jail with credit for time served, and a fine of $1,250.



Related coverage:

Obama promotes initiative to connect small businesses in the Americas

"My name is Ginger...I'm a hooker and a small business owner...."

Couldn't resist. Just found that blurb at the end to be a bit ironic.

But seriously, folks...

Potential security issues and unprofessional conduct aside, as a "sex scandal," this is not so different from what goes on in some other agencies, or in mixed agency environments like FLETC. There is a LOT of partying and associated sexual behavior that goes on. I'm not excusing it, just pointing out that this is not the one-time, big-deal, shocking event that the media is making it out to be.

I think if they can show that no security issue existed, they'll probably keep their jobs. But knowing an agency like the USSS, they'll be looking for NEW jobs because they'll be persona non grata forever as far as promotions and the like. That's unless any of them are already "liked" by the powers that be. I say this because agencies that have cultures as strong and as tightly-knit as USSS usually have their own ways of dealing with employee misconduct above and beyond the normal channels in federal government. That's a polite way of saying if you screw up, your career is officially in the crapper, and for good. Regardless whether you "pay the price" as far as officially-mandated punishment or not. That's only an outsiders opinion, but I've worked for an agency that was similar in that "cultural" aspect, and that's how things tended to play out.

Of course, when you put the media spotlight on it, that means anything can happen, so who knows. Tough situation all around.

USSS has been having 'wheels up" parties since Jesus was a PFC. Don't know the circumstances, but this to me is not worthy of the headlines and 'scandal' allegations that are being hyped. Bunch of guys, probably USSS and White House Commo Team military, who were off-duty and made some bad decisions. Press is reporting two USSS Supervisors also involved.

I deleted the Facebook reference to USSS Agent. Please do not post anything that can be considered OPSEC. Names and photos fall into that category. If I was an idiot, that's no reason to reveal my family info, friends, etc. I agree posting on Facebook was incredibly stupid, but we won't contribute to any security issues.

When some knuckle heads get away from the flag pole they tend to do stupid things...you account for the size of the contingent that travels with PPD, factor in the 5% rule and shennanigahns will and do occur. This is not new, but if you combine a slow news cycle with GSA spending on the radar with the G being the country's economic punching bag...

It's not a good time to be engaginging in tom foolery.