Obama Secret Service agents sent home for ‘misconduct’

11:36 am | Saturday, April 14th, 2012

CARTAGENA, Colombia — In a rare move, some Secret Service agents sent to Colombia to help protect US President Barack Obama at a regional summit have been sent home amid accusations of a sex scandal, officials and reports said Friday.

“There have been allegations of misconduct made against Secret Service personnel in Cartagena, Colombia prior to the president’s trip,” Secret Service special agent in charge Edwin Donovan said in a statement.

“Because of this, those personnel are being relieved of their assignments, returned to their place of duty, and are being replaced by other Secret Service personnel.”

He did not specify what allegations had been made against the Secret Service staff, who were in Cartagena ahead of Obama’s arrival late Friday for the Summit of the Americas which opens Saturday.

But at least one of the agents had been involved with prostitutes in the Colombian resort city, the Washington Post said quoting Jon Adler, president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.

News of the scandal broke just as four home-made explosive devices went off, two in Cartagena and two in the Colombian capital Bogota late Friday near the US embassy without causing any casualties or damage, police said.

But Donovan stressed the Secret Service staffing changes “will not affect the comprehensive security plan that has been prepared in advance of the president’s trip.”

“The Secret Service takes all allegations of misconduct seriously. This entire matter has been turned over to our Office of Professional Responsibility, which serves as the agency’s internal affairs component,” he added.

He did not say how many agents had been sent home. But the Washington Post said there have been other incidents involving Obama’s security detail, including an agent charged with second-degree murder after an incident in Hawaii in November ahead of an APEC summit, and one charged with drunk-driving while helping to arrange security for an Obama bus-trip in Iowa in August.

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Tags: Agents. Misconduct , Americas summit , Barack Obama , Latin America , Secret Service

http://profile.yahoo.com/NNAJQQUKFAB4DITXYZPSG26FYA Martin

Gosh, if those are the kind of secret service agents Obama has, then his life and safety is at risk. His enemies might take advantage of his agents’ weaknesses especially now that he’s running for re-election.
Hey_Dudes

Oh my….soldiers and officers are discharged from service due to their critical stance, secret service are in disarray something that has never happen before and officials leaving government service for one reason or another. Yes, Virginia we all made a huge mistake 4 years ago but bless our souls we are not about to make the same mistake again.

Pitbulldog

Parallellism with P-noy’s government no? As what Bishop Cruz said before, popularity alone is not a guarantee that a new president would be a good one. Ala P-noy en Obama. Parehong engot.

http://joboni96.myopenid.com/ joboni96

gawain din yan
ng u.s. troops sa atin

expect more amerisians
with obama’s pivot to the pacific
and more u.s. stealth bases here
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_OHOD5EA75DBBUH53UKLRXRK764 Mang Teban

Secret service agents are expected to be of integrity and of good moral character. The move by the superiors of the security detail assigned to the Office of the President in the USA is commendable.

I really don’t know why some people see differently and put political color in the news. I think that people assigned to secure the safety of the president should be trained not to express any political statement while employed as security detail of any official in government. Like soldiers in the armed forces, they are not to show dissent against the established authority. Otherwise, they should resign from their jobs and not show them as platform to put down the boss they are supposed to protect from any opposition to his policies. Unfortunately, in our country, some misguided security personnel (AFP and PNP) have the wrong idea that they can express their rights of free expression in the open. Of course not or else, why should a president trust his secret service agents who think that way?

http://profile.yahoo.com/NNAJQQUKFAB4DITXYZPSG26FYA Martin

Actually, the agents’ job or main job is to protect the President. Who cares about their outside activities?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_46A22HWZC6HS2TSWMSMLQYNNVE ChameleonO

Maaybe there are statements hanging around on the wayward acts of the reelecting US President as he himself was doing it in the supposed to be top secret missions of the Navy Seals to highlight and hype his political career especially now that it is re-election campaign time for the failing US President. America should apologize for his miserable performance that affected the whole world. It is now competing with the Third world in cornering loans from China that is why don’t believe what America is flaunting against the Chinese government.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_46A22HWZC6HS2TSWMSMLQYNNVE ChameleonO

Colombians are pretty that the security men of the Arab-looking US President have forgotten their avowed duties and responsibilities.

Obama Secret Service agents sent home for ‘misconduct’

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