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Updated at 11 p.m. ET: A dozen Secret Service personnel providing security for President Barack Obama at an international summit in Cartagena, Colombia, have been relieved of duty because of allegations of misconduct.
The Associated Press said it received an anonymous tip that the misconduct involved prostitutes in Cartagena, site of the Summit of the Americas. A Secret Service spokesman did not dispute the allegation.
The Washington Post reported that Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, told the newspaper the accusations relate to at least one officer having involvement with prostitutes in Cartagena.
A U.S. official, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and requested anonymity, put the number of personnel at 12, the AP reported.
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Adler told the Post that the entire unit was recalled for the investigation. He later told the AP he had no specific knowledge of any wrongdoing.
The incident threatened to overshadow Obama's economic and trade agenda at the summit and embarrass the U.S. The White House had no comment.
Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan would not confirm that prostitution was involved, saying only that there had been "allegations of misconduct" made against Secret Service personnel in the Colombian port city hosting Obama and more than 30 world leaders.
“The Secret Service takes all allegations of misconduct seriously,” Donovan told the Post.
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Donovan said the allegations of misconduct were related to activity before the president's arrival on Friday night.
Obama was attending a leaders' dinner Friday night at Cartagena's historic Spanish fortress.
The personnel involved had been sent back to their permanent place of duty and were being replaced by other agency officers, Donovan said. The matter was turned over to the agency's Office of Professional Responsibility, which handles the agency's internal affairs.
"These personnel changes will not affect the comprehensive security plan that has been prepared in advance of the president's trip," Donovan said.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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Leave a Comment:
"The incident threatened to overshadow Obama's economic and trade agenda at the summit and ......" Are you kidding me??? This is a personnel matter that will be dealt with; not some fodder for political gain on the right. The next thing we'll hear is that Pres Obama vetted these men so it must be his fault. Get a life people; really!
Fodder for political gain on the right? Hey yankee17, this is MSNBC reporting, not Fox. I did not realize that MSNBC was a right wing media puppet only existing to promote the right wing agenda. The only one saying Obama vetted these men is you. Maybe you need a life too.
I'm sure they saw "The Pres" doing it and figured it must be OK!!
Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have secret service protection.
What are their agents doing?
You're sure of that, are you?
Mitt Romney's Secret Service Agents are protecting the next President of the United States
Yes, I am sure. Even Herman Cain had Secret service protection for awhile.
Get informed.
Romneys secret service detail is protecting President Obama?
That explains a lot, perhaps they were on a mormon mission to spread their mormon cultism?
Do you know what the most telling thing about this story ? Its that another zionist jew is in charge of the secret service ? HOW the fork did that happen ? WHat happened to all the white christian guys that were trying to get that position ? I wonder who appointed this guy. Another jew in a position of power. How does that happen if there wasn't a zionist conspiracy to choke the presidents position and surround him with loyal jewish zionists ?? THIS IS ALL ABOUT CONTROL......WHY isn't anyone else talking about this ? It's because most americans are sooooooo stupid when it comes to the big picture.... The white christians are finished in this country and they have all been replaced by jews ..... We let it happen therefore we deserve it.
With respect to the secret service guys ...@!$%#s. Just gave up the squeky clean image. The all run around at the secret service headquarters looking so serious and professional with their long black coats but underneath most are just simple stupid and horny white trash ....
The reason no one else is talking about your rant is because it is just so much hogwash. Your obvious paranoia of anything that is not white Christian has driven you to the edge of the cliff. Go ahead and jump if you want to. Your bigotry and hatred will not be missed.
This "Dirty Dozen" of secret Service agents are more than mere assh...s, they are criminals soliciiting prostitution and supporting slavery. S.o.T. and POTUS need to go on record against this egregious behaviour.
How will the Republicans blame Obama for this, I wonder. He's a bad moral influence? He led the boys astray? He gave them phone numbers and reefers?
No blame on this, do you want the list of things we can blame on him or do you prefer to keep your head in the sand?
I am sure that this was all George Bush's fault. This could not be Obama the inocent.
I am reasonably sure the ones at fault are the ones who participated, not Barack Obama, not George Bush, not Herbert Hoover, not even William Henry Harrison. However, I do miss the days when there was such a thing as personal accountability. I believe those days are gone forever, replaced by an insatiable appetite for political correctness and the dance of twist and spin. Lest you think I speak from a partisan stance, these trait are prevalent throughout the political spectrum, rampantly devouring people on both sides of the aisle. It has become survival of the fittest and least appalling, akin to saying "I am not as bad as he/she/it is".
Secret Service job is a stressful, high rank job. Most of those men are constantly traveling never seeing their loved ones, so as men they always think with their "other" head!
My personal opinion is they figured that Obama was screwing America so much, they might as well get some themselves.
Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have secret service protection.
What are their agents doing?
Probably their jobs you phooking lib troll!
Your momma NC Vet
If your job is to guard the President, doesn't that inherently mean you will be involved with prostitution?
No dear, that's the republican party. The bribed, bought and paid for whores in this country are republicans and their minions.
Oh look, i see plenty of rethuglican lying trolls out this morning.
I said the President and pretty much include all of them, you are the one blind to your sides failures.
....like grownupguy said....why do you need anymore explanation?
I agree a lot with poster Rico: this is not about Obama; this is about the personnel who is supposed to protect the president and the country in a very violent and corrupted country. I bet the whole situation can be about planted agents/spies. How can these men be so fool! Clear and present danger?
Nice angle. Loose lips sink ships.
What about the Union hos?
Why Unions Want Higher Taxes
http://blog.heritage.org/2012/04/13/why-unions-want-higher-taxes/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FoundryConservativePolicyNews+%28The+Foundry%3A+Conservative+Policy+News.%29
They were Obviously doing research for Bill Clinbton in case Hilary decides to run for the Presidency and try to further destroy this Country. If she could not keep her husband Happy how would she ever keep a Country Happy
Sammy would you like to discuss President Eisenhowers favorite HO.. The one he had flown to England to sleep with him on cold winter nights .. Oh well You consider a BALANCED BUDGET and 1 dollar gallon for gas as DESTROYING American........ thats all we need to know about you
Ah yes, the "honey trap",, clever isnt it??.. and not unusual really, we had some here in Canada as well,, remember Maxime Bernier??. anyone??..Those SS people are on salary, on call 24/7,and for what they do, and the risks they take? they dont get paid enough,not nearly!...But! this kind of action is definitly not on,,too many "open doors" to who knows what!,.. I for one have trouble believing they and their bosses could be so slack,wassup with that??..dare say it will get sorted,,,at a certain level you cant blame the guys, they are GUYS! after all, and those Columbian women can be smokin hot!!,,we are all human after all,, no??.."someone" ahem must be very worried to go to such [dumb really] lengths,, message here,,, no?..I say, so what, deal with it, move on,, they have far far!! more important things going down than some scam to infiltrate the ss with old old very very OLD!! school tactics,,,and thats the thing about these crims? they use the same old tools, over and over,, and really, they expect it to work??..those SS guys have a lot to learn about reality these days, it is not!! the old days,,heck, I have had 7 "honey traps" so far,,,every one was a BABE![all caps, note please!!],.. you bet!!,.. 2 even apologised once they knew who I really! was,Never mind this, this is a mere distraction,, but do! pay attention to what comes from these meetings,We got some real brains in action at last,, ceste la vie!, and carpe diem indeed!!.. you bet!
With out a doubt we will see more and more of this type of stuff before the election in Nov., can’t bring the President down on his ethics, morals or policies, so they will bring him down with incidents like this, do you really think all those billions of dollars from the right and top 1% is just going into false advertisements or into the Rove’s super Pac, no they will also be used to cause turmoil and scandals’.
Do you really think it is only in movies that people with lots of money and power can causes chaos around the world?
What's the big deal? Isn't this how Obama met his wife?
No..Its how Newtie Getrich met his Tooty. While his wife was home raising the children with out child support....
Did Obama take part?
No, he was too lazy --- just wanted to watch and learn a new way to screw our Nation.
ncvet was obviously in the confederate army.
just can't let that ass kicking go, can you reb?
Didn't they all swear to take a puzzy for the President?
Attitude reflects leadership.......Ron Paul 2012. High integrity, high family values and someone ready and willing to fight for US citizens rights.
With any other employer, their actions would get them fired beause they could have ended up compromising the Presidents' itinerary, travel routes, etc., and allowed assassination by a drug cartel pissed at the U.S. drug interdiction effort. So, will they be fired, demoted, or something serious and necessary like that. or merely have a lettrer of disapproval dropped into their personnel folders (i.e., no consequnces at all)?????
I'm looking at promotions here. The gov't way: Screw up, move up. Keeps it quieter that way.
Potential security issue? This stupid government needs to get its' head out of its' a$$.
Mole = anonymous, high level, mystery is no way to stop rumors.
Of course, it's Obama's fault. It shows the respect they have for the President... none. Obama has diminished the values and pride of America. He needs to be removed from office ASAP.
Oh yeah, the "values" imparted by bushthejunior, like: lying to congress, illegal wars, unpaid for tax breaks during 2 illegal wars, allowing our nation to be attacked under his watch, war crimes, war profiteering, torture, the collapse of our economy, TARP, borrowing money from COMMUNIST CHINA to pay for his wars....etc
So, it sounds like one [or more] agents spent a few Pesos on some "spicy tang"
in their "off time", but I believe when they are "off duty" in another country
they're still ON duty so they violated protocol and procedures; oops.
I wouldn't be surprised if there are dismissals....
They are never "off duty" until they retire.
they were doing the job they were hired to do.... get all the information from whatever source.. and the best way to get is through these hooker...were all the bad boys spill their knowledge... c´mon you´re all intelligent were is the information amongst the hookers that´s no lie WAKE UP give the cops a medal for their good work CONFUSIUS
This "Dirty Dozen" of SS agents committed a criminal act(s) that support slavery. This is much more than violation of "protocol and procedures" It is an egregious criminal and immoral act. Slavery is NOT a misdemeanor.
I don't believe that this is what was meant by the Secret Service when they say an agent must "lay" his life down for the President.
Soon Mitt Romney will be riding around in one of the Black buses the secret service has.
You know the bus everyone said Obama bought last year.
The ones made in a foreign country while we have so many unemployed, thoses busues?
Which bus do you ride on....the short one?
So what??
If guidelines are followed, sex for money is legal there.
Might be a little embarrassing if the president was part of the group - otherwise, who cares.
Prostitution is illegal in Columbia.
This "Dirty Dozen" of SS agents committed a criminal act(s) that support slavery. This is much more than violation of "protocol and procedures" It is an egregious criminal and immoral act. Slavery is NOT a misdemeanor.
People are making to much of a fuss over nothing , Heck the agents were just giving them ladies a taste of America.