New details of alleged misconduct by Secret Service officers has been provided to a Senate committee.
Appearing before a Senate subcommittee on Homeland Security, several whistleblowers provided new details of misconduct that they said is more widespread than previous believed. According to the Washington Post, the whistleblowers described sexual misconduct in 17 countries in recent years, including visiting bordellos, patronizing prostitutes and having extramarital affairs on official trips. One person said that senior management was aware of agents hiring prostitutes on both foreign and domestic trips.
The allegations come only days after two agents were dismissed from President Obama’s security detail and as the agency is still trying to repair damage to its reputation a year and a half after a prostitution scandal.
In a statement, Senator Ron Johnson, the ranking Republican on the subcommittee, said, “This type of behavior jeopardizes the security of the President of the United States and makes U.S. government personnel susceptible to coercion and blackmail.”