US Secret Service investigated for prostitution scandal

[Kitsunegari]

Can't say i blame them, Colombian chicks are really hawt, but i hope they remembered to double bag.

The US Secret Service prostitution scandal involved as many as 20 women, 11 American agents and some military personnel, senior US officials say.
Senator Susan Collins, briefed by the Secret Service director, said 20 women were found at the US hotel.
The incidents took place in Cartagena, Colombia, ahead of last weekend's Summit of the Americas.
On Monday, the head of the US armed forces said the Secret Service and the military had "let the boss down".
Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan was "rightly appalled by the agents' actions and is pursuing a vigorous internal investigation", Ms Collins said in a statement.

Link

[Big War Bird]

Its economic stimulus.

Members of the Secret Service paid $60 (£38) each to the club's owners to bring at least two women back to the Hotel Caribe, where they were staying, the Washington Post reports.

Frankly these guys should be in charge of the US budget. They know to get the most bang for their buck.

[Ciabhán]

I don't see the problem. It's legal in Columbia so no law broken. They were the advance team so it was the closest to a standard work day you get on presidential detail. They were on their time. Spending their money. This is no different than a businessman doing the same.

[muller227]

Oh God, another moral issue, if anyone thinks some of these guys haven't been doing this for 50 years they are nuts. What I cannot figure out is why in the hell, they got in a fight over the bill, the hooker I guess is the one who called the Police. She didn't like getting stiffed on the bill.

I really thought secret Service was smart enough to pay their bill.

[xcorps]

If they were in Columbia they were on the governments time, not their own.
It doesn't matter if they were spending their own money. (It doesn't make it okay for you to spend your own money to solicit a quarter ounce of weed, right?)


It's entirely different from a businessman, because they represent the Secret Service of the United States of America, on duty or off. They weren't there to sell degreaser or buy coffee beans, they were there to provide security infrastructure for the visit of the President of the United States.

[Ciabhán]

If they were in Columbia they were on the governments time, not their own.
It doesn't matter if they were spending their own money. (It doesn't make it okay for you to spend your own money to solicit a quarter ounce of weed, right?)


It's entirely different from a businessman, because they represent the Secret Service of the United States of America, on duty or off. They weren't there to sell degreaser or buy coffee beans, they were there to provide security infrastructure for the visit of the President of the United States.

No they weren't. The flight and hotel and probably a per diem were gov money, on the clock was gov time, after hours it was their time and their money.

That's no different than a fella whose company sent him somewhere on business.

I went plenty of places on gov expense, did my job, but when it was done(for the day, trip, deployment, etc) we went and partied in exotic locales. Never compromised our duty but we sure as weren't a good diplomatic or moral example.

TLDR: They were stupid but this incident isn't worth all the media attention much less a very expensive investigation.

[muller227]

If they were in Columbia they were on the governments time, not their own.
It doesn't matter if they were spending their own money. (It doesn't make it okay for you to spend your own money to solicit a quarter ounce of weed, right?)


It's entirely different from a businessman, because they represent the Secret Service of the United States of America, on duty or off. They weren't there to sell degreaser or buy coffee beans, they were there to provide security infrastructure for the visit of the President of the United States.

It seems they were off duty, the time was theirs. They broke no law in Columbia, the dispute was over payment(pretty stupid). I personally don't know the rules of conduct of the Secret Service if those rules were violated they are done, military service men are pretty clear as far as I know, though this is not what one would call a career freindly move. Young soldiers love being stationed in Germany.

A bigger question and far more important was Operational Security violated in anyway, given the numbers involved I think it likely it was, but it is by no means certain.

[xcorps]

It seems they were off duty, the time was theirs. They broke no law in Columbia, the dispute was over payment(pretty stupid). I personally don't know the rules of conduct of the Secret Service if those rules were violated they are done, military service men are pretty clear as far as I know, though this is not what one would call a career freindly move. Young soldiers love being stationed in Germany.

A bigger question and far more important was Operational Security violated in anyway, given the numbers involved I think it likely it was, but it is by no means certain.

No. If they are off duty, it means that they are still members of the Secret Service. It doesn't mean they get to go do whatever strikers their fancy. It's not relevant that they didn't break any Colombian laws. They broke multiple ethical and behavioral standards, and very likely broke security rules. (Otherwise why did ALL the agents lose their security clearance?) These aren't a bunch of jarheads partying it up in Weisbaden. These are the advance security detail of the President of the United States.

I can't really grasp how you don't see the difference.

I went plenty of places on gov expense, did my job, but when it was done(for the day, trip, deployment, etc) we went and partied in exotic locales. Never compromised our duty but we sure as weren't a good diplomatic or moral example.

Were you a Secret Service agent on the Presidential security detail? If not, I (respectfully) don't see the relevance.

[Ciabhán]

Were you a Secret Service agent on the Presidential security detail? If not, I (respectfully) don't see the relevance.

Nope. Just a grunt with the occasional secret.

Should they be professionally and privately reprimanded? Of course. But assuming no one was sharing information or leaving itineraries and assessments out for hookers to pocket it's not a news story.

I'm quite sure the SS has it's share of ups and stupid decisions. But this kind of up should be dealt with internally.

[Col. Tartleton]

There's a difference between me being in Colombia and deciding to have sex with a prostitute, and a bunch of Secret Service and Military Johns doing so while on a mission. Haven't they seen James Bond films? The hookers... I mean female spies always try to kill you. Not that Anna Chapman is a hooker, but I'd pay money. Beautiful Red Russians are worth the ballistic trauma... same deal with South American hotties.

Not paying for it however is definitely grounds for expulsion for the Service. That's disgusting. It's somewhere between theft and rape. The other guys I'd just ask to use their time better and not draw bad publicity. By which I mean chew out and give soul killing desk jobs.

[Gelgoog]

There's a difference between me being in Colombia and deciding to have sex with a prostitute, and a bunch of Secret Service and Military Johns doing so while on a mission. Haven't they seen James Bond films? The hookers... I mean female spies always try to kill you. Not that Anna Chapman is a hooker, but I'd pay money. Beautiful Red Russians are worth the ballistic trauma... same deal with South American hotties.

Not paying for it however is definitely grounds for expulsion for the Service. That's disgusting. It's somewhere between theft and rape. The other guys I'd just ask to use their time better and not draw bad publicity. By which I mean chew out and give soul killing desk jobs.

The problem lies solely with the fact that the act violates the US law enforcement ethical code of conduct. Anyone who has worked in LE will know that we are held to a strict code of conduct on and off work, we are supposed to keep ourselves at a higher standard. What they did even though it is a legal act where they were was a violation of the ethical code and grounds for dismissal from the agency.

The reason they dismiss agents like this, is due to the fact that it is bad publicity for the agency, and the main job of an administrator is to protect the agency.

The agent who did not pay is the only one open to civil liability, which is roughly $50 he owes for services rendered. They can not extradite the agent nor can they enforce the law. If you stole $50 in the US it would be a misdemeanor, you would not face jail time for such an act.

[Sphere]

As long as the hookers were clean hookers I'm okay with it.

Except for stiffing the hooker, that's not cool. Someone should look into that.

[Condottiere 40K]

I'm disappointed that they let themselves be caught; I would have expected the capability to think ahead of possible problems and have the resources in place to perform a cover up.

[YukonTrooper]

There's no way that's OK. From a moral point, there's absolutely no problem, in my opinion; however, security details for heads of state, especially ones for such powerful and public figures, are no doubt expected to be on nothing but 100% professional, obedient behavior. Automaton type behavior.

[Captain Arrrgh!]

Damn it, agents, we said 'under cover', not 'under covers'!

[Sphere]

There's no way that's OK. From a moral point, there's absolutely no problem, in my opinion; however, security details for heads of state, especially ones for such powerful and public figures, are no doubt expected to be on nothing but 100% professional, obedient behavior. Automaton type behavior.

I am sure their pelvic thrusting was very rhythmic and mechanical.

[YukonTrooper]

You know what? Maybe they just couldn't help it.

[Valiant Champion]

i bet some of those prostitutes were underage children.

[removeduser_487563287433]

i bet some of those prostitutes were underage children.

How much?

[mrmouth]

These were not even the guys who are closest to the President. The people in question were mostly from the counter assault team (CAT). More heavily armed agents who aside from sometimes providing sniper overwatch when the POTUS is on the move, are basically only on the job when the threat level requires it.

And apparently there were also embassy personnel.