Secret Service Director to Testify That Security Was Not Breached in Scandal
by The Associated Press, nytimes.comMay 22nd 2012
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Secret Service director, Mark Sullivan, is expected to tell Congress on Wednesday that the prostitution scandal in Colombia last month did not result in a breach of national security.
In testimony prepared for a Senate committee that will be his first public comments on the scandal, Mr. Sullivan says his investigation revealed that at the time of the misconduct, the dozen agents and other agency employees implicated in the case had not received any specific information about plans to protect President Obama during his visit to Cartagena for a summit meeting of leaders of Western Hemisphere nations.
Mr. Sullivan says the agents were scheduled to be briefed the day after what turned out to be a night of partying and cavorting with prostitutes and other women. He says they did not have security documents, firearms, radios or other equipment in their hotel rooms on the night in question.
In his prepared testimony, Mr. Sullivan says he directed agency inspectors to investigate accusations of similar misconduct in San Salvador. After 28 interviews with hotel employees and managers, State Department officials and others, "no evidence was found to substantiate the allegations," he said.
The acting inspector general of the Secret Service, Charles Edwards, is also scheduled to testify on Wednesday before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security. The episode in Colombia resulted in the dismissal or resignation of nine agents and officers and the discipline of three others.
The top Republican on the committee, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, says in her prepared remarks: "This reckless behavior could easily have compromised individuals charged with the security of the president of the United States. This misconduct was almost certainly not an isolated incident."
The White House on Tuesday restated its confidence in Mr. Sullivan. Its spokesman, Jay Carney, said Mr. Obama "has great faith in the Secret Service, believes the director has done an excellent job."
The agency has tightened rules for staff members traveling in foreign countries, saying they cannot have foreigners in their rooms with the exception of hotel staff members and law enforcement counterparts.
"Patronization of nonreputable establishments is prohibited," an agency memorandum said.
It also said that "alcohol may only be consumed in moderate amounts" on the trips and that drinking alcohol less than 10 hours before reporting for duty was prohibited. Agency rules had prohibited drinking less than four hours before reporting for duty.
Original Page: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/23/world/americas/secret-service-director-to-testify-that-security-was-not-breached-in-scandal.html
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Victor Cuvo, Attorney at Law
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