The US government has revealed details of serious allegations since 2004 against Secret Service agents and officers, including claims of involvement with prostitutes, leaking sensitive information, publishing pornography, sexual assault, illegal wiretaps, improper use of weapons and drunken behavior. It was not immediately clear how many of the accusations were confirmed to be true.
The heavily censored list — which runs 229 pages — was quietly released today under the US Freedom of Information Act to The Associated Press and other news organizations following the Secret Service prostitution scandal in Colombia. It describes accusations filed against Secret Service employees with the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general. The service protects the president and those close to him.
In many cases, the government noted that some of the claims were resolved administratively, and others were being formally investigated.
Basic details of the dozens of complaints were first revealed last month during a Senate hearing about the Colombia scandal, as senators questioned whether the Colombia incident was a sign of a broader culture problem at the storied agency tasked with protecting the president.
Secret Service Direct Mark Sullivan apologized for the incident during the May hearing, but insisted that it was an isolated case.
The list of complaints, however, suggested otherwise senators said at the time.
Secret Service officials did not immediately comment today.
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AP
Find this story at 15 June 2012
Alicia A Caldwell
Friday, 15 June 2012
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