Did they think taxpayers would pick up the tab for everything?
The Secret Service is investigating allegations of misconduct by agency personnel preparing for President Barack Obama’s arrival at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, including that at least one officer solicited a prostitute, according to media reports.
A dozen Secret Service workers were sent home Thursday and replaced by others on site. The service overstaffs on international trips by bringing more agents than needed should one become sick…
Ron Kessler…told NBC News that he had learned that Secret Service personnel brought prostitutes back to their hotel room. They typically stay in the same hotel as the president… He said that most of the 12 officials were involved.
He said authorities found out when a prostitute filed a complaint that she wasn’t paid. Kessler said that police then alerted the State Department, which then alerted the White House and the Secret Service…
Obama arrived in Cartagena, a port city, on Friday and attended a leaders’ dinner that night at the city’s historic Spanish fortress. Thirty-three leaders from the Americas are gathered at the summit to discuss economic policy, trade and immigration. The president was scheduled to hold two days of meetings before heading back to Washington Sunday night…
…Although prostitution is legal in Colombia when conducted in “tolerance zones,” soliciting prostitutes is considered inappropriate by the Secret Service… Additionally, the Washington Post reported, several of the agents sent home are married.
I generally consider coppers to be smarter than crooks. Most of the time. Not all the time.
Just another day on the job… for everyone.
Its not a party till somebody stiffs a hooker. Take that anyway you want.
Hah!
There’s really nothing surprising here. The devolution of society continues. Used to be that there was an esprit de corps associated with a plum assignment like presidential protection.
It seems the internet generation (which I assume most of these agents/personnel are part of) has both little cooth, and even poorer ability to control their animalistic tendencies.
Have you ever worked with the military in their habitat?
Damn George what color is the sky in your world? This is not due to the internet generation. Take a look at history this is nothing new, this has been going on since the dawn of civilization. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. It’s also pretty damn cool and played right can get you laid.
I’m shocked…shocked to find SEX going on…
Well it is called stimulus spending
I’d like to know how many of y’all think there’s nothing wrong with prostitution, and whether or not it should be legal.
It’s about 50-50.
I think prostitution IS wrong. But unfortunately it’s not illegal everywhere. Especially in Columbia, where this took place. So the agents weren’t technically breaking the law. And the way the military winks its eye at service men having prostitutes overseas. It wouldn’t surprise me if the same slack is cut for federal agencies and their agents, visiting foreign lands. So what’s legal, is not the same as what’s moral. And what’s moral, could be argued to be a matter of personal belief. Like a religion. And not everyone’s belief system forbids them from gettin’ down, at a price. So it’s possible that what US agents do, on their own free time, is considered their own business. Which of course, it really isn’t, once any of this hits the fan, in the media.
An earlier example of poor moral conduct was the US Navy’s “Tailhook” scandal. That took place in Las Vegas, in Sept. 1991. A hundred officers, did something immoral, to as many as 87 females, “allegedly”. Because I believe the whole thing got white washed. The US military can not suffer such an embarrassment. And in case you’re keeping score. That scandal took place during George H. W. Bush’s presidency. Interesting how the media didn’t try to connect the White House to this. Now, it seems like everything bad that happens, is Obama’s fault.
BTW, In this recent incident in Columbia. Five military “servicemen” are also mentioned. But I haven’t heard whether they’re officers or enlisted men. Or even what service they’re from. Seems like the SS is falling its sword to keep the military out of this. Or it’s easier for the media to scandalize the White House with its connection to the Secret Service, than it would be with some branch of the military?
Yes, the press has been notoriously favorable to the Bush administration while harassing the Obama administration.
I don’t see where this is being connected to the White House at all except mentioning it happened in Colombia during an official visit.
Prostitution is not wrong if its done properly, with the sex trade workers paying taxes, getting health benefits and health checks, retirement and other benefits.
Morality is used as an excuse to call some people names because some other people feel morally superior. They’re not.
Don’t forget to form a union for them too so they will get all of those entitlements.
Good on Columbia that prostitution is legal there. This at the very least enabled the sex worker to be able to make her complaint against whoever stiffed her with impunity. In general, I think it’s much better to have prostitution legalized so that sex workers are screened regularly, pay taxes, and are not forced into the criminal underworld. It’s a little surprising though that secret service staff would risk using such services – wouldn’t that be a potential security breach? If you work for the FDA there are all kinds of restrictions on what you can do e.g. what stocks you can own. What’s in the SS contracts?
Oops Colombia 🙂
Only a professional should stiff a hooker. How should we define that little job? I suppose we could ask either of the Romneys.
Ha, ha. Yes, hardest working folks …. all over the place.
LOL I just cannot stop LOL. Obama must be embarrassed by this. Or he should be. What does this say for America? Again LOL.
When in Rome….
You’re jealous because the Obama administration provides for a great place to work environment.
The only thing more embarrassing was the GSA wasting all that tax payer money partying. I think Obama’s ship has a lot of holes in it.
So why is this all Obama’s fault? When the “Tailhook`91” scandal wasn’t president George H. W. Bush’s fault. Or Iran-Contra wasn’t his or Reagan’s fault? Seems whenever anything bad happens, White House Republicans aren’t to blame. But have a Democrat in there, and EVERYTHING is their fault. Kapeesh?
As it should be.
And how do we know that they didn’t pay her? Because she said so?
At least she isn’t claiming they raped her like that girl did with Blackwater, Oh wait, she is claiming that.
We know the Blackwater charges were bogus, though only after lots of people fell for it.including on this blog.
It’s interesting how some presidents get blamed for what’s been ongoing corruption and bad policy for well before their term. And things that take more than a few years to fester, or be exposed. Never seem to get blamed on the Administration of their origin.
I think Obama may have been too busy, trying to fix the mess that Bush II left behind. To oversee how every government agency operates. Especially if they’ve got this attitude that they don’t have to take orders from any black guy. And whatever they do, will only help to shorten his presidency. While they’ll just suffer a little bit of a pay cut or something, temporary.
Basically, I don’t think the SS and the GSA got the memo, that Obama is suppose to get reelected. So don’t embarrass the guy.
A total disgrace.
Four years ago, Obama Girl
Today, Prostitute
That’s what I call “change”
I want to be fair here and while a good many military types have a well earned reputation for being less than reasonable and prudent when it comes to liquor and females for rent when off duty these men weren’t off duty.
The security detail for the President should at least be reasonable and prudent enough not to get drunk on the job or do anything else that might negatively reflect on the President and if they don’t then you should take their guns away from them and drop kick their rears out the door.
I keep getting Tiger Woods and Obama mixed up. Obama is the one who had no friends or especially girlfriends before he married whats-her-name, right? At least, none that are alive now. Or we surely would have heard from at least ONE, wouldn’t we?
It must be Obama’s fault…dam demo’s!
We need a dung bag like limbaugh to come up with it was Obama who caused it all.