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By ALICIA A. CALDWELL | Published: June 16, 2012 Oklahoman
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WASHINGTON — The U.S. government has revealed details of serious allegations against Secret Service agents and officers since 2004, including claims of involvement with prostitutes, leaking sensitive information, publishing pornography, sexual assault, illegal wiretaps, improper use of weapons and drunken behavior. It wasn’t immediately clear how many of the accusations have been confirmed.
[h=3]More Info[/h] Background
The heavily censored list, which runs 229 pages, was quietly released under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act following the Secret Service prostitution scandal that erupted in April in Colombia. It describes accusations filed against Secret Service employees with the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general.
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Some of the accusations occurred as recently as last month. In many cases, the government noted that some of the claims were resolved administratively, and others were being formally investigated.
The new disclosures of so many serious accusations lend weight to concerns expressed by Congress that the Colombian prostitution scandal in April exposed a culture of misconduct within the Secret Service. Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan apologized for the incident during a hearing in May but insisted that what happened in Colombia was an isolated case.
Secret Service officials did not immediately respond Friday to questions about the accusations.
Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican who has been investigating the Colombia scandal, said while some of the allegations were “unfounded or frivolous,” others appear to be legitimate and that “adds to my concern about apparent misconduct by some of the personnel of this vital law enforcement agency.”
“The key question is whether these incidents indicate a larger cultural problem,” Collins said.
[h=3]Allegations of assault[/h] The complaints included an alleged sexual assault reported in August 2011. In the heavily censored entry, an employee was accused of pushing a woman who also worked for the agency onto a bed during a work trip. The employee “got on top of (censored) attempting to have sex,” even though the woman “told (censored) ‘no’ several times.” The entry noted that supervisors described the accused as “a conscientious and dependable employee.” The incident was closed with an “administrative disposition” in February.
They also included an anonymous complaint in October 2003 that a Secret Service agent “may have been involved with a prostitution ring,” noting that two telephone numbers belonging to the agent, whose name was censored and who has since retired, turned up as part of an FBI investigation into a prostitution ring. In addition, in 2005, an employee was reported to the Washington field office for being arrested on a charge of solicitation in a park. Documents do not reveal the outcome of that case.
In 2008, an on-duty uniform division officer was arrested in a Washington prostitution sting. The officer, who was driving a marked Secret Service vehicle at the time, was placed on administrative leave, the records show. Sullivan said during the May hearing that the officer was later fired.
[h=3]Other claims[/h] Also alleged:
•October 2011: An employee was accused of sending messages to a woman who saw them as sexual harassment.
•March 2011: A complaint was filed involving embezzlement or theft of public money. Nearly the entire entry was censored save that it was adjudicated by a judge.
•October 2010: An employee was implicated in a national security leak. The details were censored.
•May 2012: An employee was accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. No details were provided, other than that the case was closed administratively.
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WASHINGTON — The U.S. government has revealed details of serious allegations against Secret Service agents and officers since 2004, including claims of involvement with prostitutes, leaking sensitive information, publishing pornography, sexual assault, illegal wiretaps, improper use of weapons and drunken behavior. It wasn’t immediately clear how many of the accusations have been confirmed.
[h=3]More Info[/h] Background
The heavily censored list, which runs 229 pages, was quietly released under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act following the Secret Service prostitution scandal that erupted in April in Colombia. It describes accusations filed against Secret Service employees with the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general.
Advertisement
Some of the accusations occurred as recently as last month. In many cases, the government noted that some of the claims were resolved administratively, and others were being formally investigated.
The new disclosures of so many serious accusations lend weight to concerns expressed by Congress that the Colombian prostitution scandal in April exposed a culture of misconduct within the Secret Service. Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan apologized for the incident during a hearing in May but insisted that what happened in Colombia was an isolated case.
Secret Service officials did not immediately respond Friday to questions about the accusations.
Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican who has been investigating the Colombia scandal, said while some of the allegations were “unfounded or frivolous,” others appear to be legitimate and that “adds to my concern about apparent misconduct by some of the personnel of this vital law enforcement agency.”
“The key question is whether these incidents indicate a larger cultural problem,” Collins said.
[h=3]Allegations of assault[/h] The complaints included an alleged sexual assault reported in August 2011. In the heavily censored entry, an employee was accused of pushing a woman who also worked for the agency onto a bed during a work trip. The employee “got on top of (censored) attempting to have sex,” even though the woman “told (censored) ‘no’ several times.” The entry noted that supervisors described the accused as “a conscientious and dependable employee.” The incident was closed with an “administrative disposition” in February.
They also included an anonymous complaint in October 2003 that a Secret Service agent “may have been involved with a prostitution ring,” noting that two telephone numbers belonging to the agent, whose name was censored and who has since retired, turned up as part of an FBI investigation into a prostitution ring. In addition, in 2005, an employee was reported to the Washington field office for being arrested on a charge of solicitation in a park. Documents do not reveal the outcome of that case.
In 2008, an on-duty uniform division officer was arrested in a Washington prostitution sting. The officer, who was driving a marked Secret Service vehicle at the time, was placed on administrative leave, the records show. Sullivan said during the May hearing that the officer was later fired.
[h=3]Other claims[/h] Also alleged:
•October 2011: An employee was accused of sending messages to a woman who saw them as sexual harassment.
•March 2011: A complaint was filed involving embezzlement or theft of public money. Nearly the entire entry was censored save that it was adjudicated by a judge.
•October 2010: An employee was implicated in a national security leak. The details were censored.
•May 2012: An employee was accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. No details were provided, other than that the case was closed administratively.
1 Sweet Wrinkle Remedy
Mom publishes simple wrinkle secret that has angered doctors...
ConsumerLifestyles.org
Mortgage Rates Hit 2.50%
If you owe under $729k you may qualify for 3.01% APR Govt Refi Plans.
www.SeeRefinanceRates.com
[h=3]News Photo Galleriesview all[/h]
[h=4]Remembering Ann DeFrange[/h] View photos of Ann DeFrange.
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[h=4]Red Earth Festival on Saturday[/h] View photos of the 2012 Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma City from...
8 photos
[h=4]Oklahoma City Nationals Drag Boat races[/h] View photos from the Oklahoma City Nationals Drag Boat races at the...
19 photos
[h=4]Jack McNiece: June 5, 2012[/h] View the photos.
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