Well, the firings have begun and it looks like three Secret Service agents have been fired or at least pushed out the door and so many others implicated just because one guy did not want to pay for his hooker. Apparently this group of agents hired about 20 hookers. Is this what these guys do when they go out of town? Here is my thing with all of this. Free time is free time and as long as somehow my tax dollars were not paying for the actual night out with hookers, they can do what they want in their free time. My issue is they are supposed to be protecting the President and making all the advance security arrangements. So, to me, by showing they love hiring hookers, they are leaving a huge wide open security gap for someone who wants information. Kidnap a Secret Service guy? Blackmail him so they don't send photos to his wife or boss. Although in this case, it sounds like the bosses were out having sex too, so I'm not sure how much good that will do.
Big shocker that people with a powerful job like paid sex.
ReplyDeleteI would even draw the line at heavy drinking the night before I was supposed to be responsible for a president's safety...but that's me.
ReplyDeletealways pay the lady.
ReplyDeleteThey're trying to make the argument that because prostitution is legal in the part of Colombia they were in, that no rules were broken. That's some bullshizz. They should abide by American laws as American service men. They are supporting the sex trafficking industry in which young girls are kidnapped, drugged, tortured and forced into having sex. I'm not saying all females with in the sex industry or even these females were were underage or doing anything against their will, but it's the perpetuation of the system. Just like with "real girl" porn sites and craigslist ads. It's a disgusting comment on the morality of people we trust to help safeguard our nation's security and just be decent freaking people at the least.
ReplyDeleteExactly Enty. What I'll never understand is why they were bragging about who they were and why they were there. Talk about hormones clouding good judgement. This is one for the books.
ReplyDelete@Angry Observer - "Cash money, baby." That's actually what the prostitute said to one of the guys and when he wouldn't fork over his money, the cops got called because they were trying to steal services.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree w/ discoflux. I can't believe anyone supports prostitution as an industry, let alone our Secret Service.
ReplyDeleteAnd my recollection from law school is that if you are an American citizen, American laws follow you everywhere - and that you can be prosecuted for breaking American laws in other countries, even if those activities would not be illegal in those countries.
Well I am sure it was the initial heavy drinking that caused them to reveal who they were and why they were there.
ReplyDeleteIm not naive. No surprise to me that men in power r trying to fuck whores. They just got caught! Why not pay the girl thats really where they went wrong. Im not saying its right to pay for sex but pay the girl/guy and keep it moving!
ReplyDeleteWhen you work for the SS, government, or as a protector of the POTUS you are held to higher standards. You are also expected to follow the law since you are representing it. Whether it was illegal or not in another country seems like a technicality. Even if they were in Nevada it isn't what you want to think of SS agents doing.
ReplyDeleteI would be completely in favor of having every one of them tried for treason. You don't become a secret service agent without knowing EXACTLY what you are signing up for and you should know that you will be held to a higher standard. I understand this probably isn't an isolated incident but these guys got caught and I'd make sure they were made an example of, especially if I was the POTUS. You endanger my life, I will ruin yours. At the very least these guys will not have any security jobs in the future. Well, maybe night shift at an elementary school.
ReplyDeleteThey all do it...these guys just got caught...
ReplyDeleteI know he wishes he had paid her because now he's paying for it!
ReplyDeleteThe most disturbing part to me is that they were supposed to be protecting our President. This is some serious shit, IMO. I'm surprised more than 3 people haven't been fired.
ReplyDeleteIMO if you are on a special assignment in a foreign country, there is no such thing as free time. You are ON 24/7. This is a HUGE security breach. Allegedly the agents had the President's detailed schedule in their rooms.
ReplyDeleteDumb, dumb, dumb.
Unknown: American law does not follow a citizen in different countries. One is subject to the law of the country one visits.
ReplyDeleteThe most disturbing thing is the huge lack of judgment shown by the agents. First, hiring a prostitute then not paying her. Then bragging about your job as an agent and revealing your identity. I wouldn't want someone that dopey responsible for my life or the president's.
We - US taxpayer - spend $ billions fighting traficking in persons, prostitution, etc. Companies & individuals wanting to do biz w/US Gov must sign anti traficking pledge & have programs in place for their own employees re fighting the sex trade. & yes US Gov employees on overseas missions are held to higher standards than people on private trips. The US gov emps involved in this incident did terrible damage on so many levels.
ReplyDeleteI read in the WSJ that for some of the SS, their unofficial motto is 'wheels up, rings off'. Along with their questionable critical reasoning skills and bad judgment they are also proud to be disloyal and unethical to their spouses?? I imagine that the fallout in their personal lives is going to be worse than their professional problems.
ReplyDeleteYou're not subject to American law when overseas - i.e. you can smoke pot in Amsterdam, too - but this was really bad judgment and endangerment to the prez, which is a different issue.
ReplyDeleteWhy assume they are married, though?
Well, I'm not sure about Secret Service, but the US Armed Forces are absolutely NOT allowed to smoke pot in Amsterdam. They undergo random drug testing. My buddy was stationed in Germany and his enlisteds were routinely busted for smoking while on leave. Your free time is yours, but you must still obey the rules you agreed to when you signed up to serve.
DeleteI have to think Secret Service is the same since it's supposed to be harder to get in than the CIA.
Whoa, treason? The death penalty is a bit severe for sex for money.
ReplyDeletePower corrupts. Anyone who has dated or married someone in law enforcement know they have the highest divorce rates of any occupation. I am definitely not saying they are all bad as I'm dating one now, but it something to keep your eyes open for
ReplyDeleteI understand that legally they are subject to the laws of the country they're in, but as high ranking examples of American law they should old themselves to higher moral codes.
ReplyDeleteLegal or not, prostitution and human trafficking is a sickening and pervasive crisis worldwide.
I hope their wives and mothers fucked them up when they came home with their tails between their legs.
This story is so interesting. I'm sure this type of thing goes on all the time, which nauseates me.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the posters saying that Secret Service should be held to the utmost highest standards of a moral code, especially while overseas. The argument that prostitution is legal where they were is complete bullshit. These are men who should know that prostitution is a breeding ground for human trafficking, drugs and degradation. And then the one asshat has the nerve to not pay up. What a tool. I really hope their identities are revealed.
Godforbid their actions prompted a security breach on the president. What a nightmare.
Can I just point something out! These guys were not the actual secret service agents who physically protect the potus. They were the guys who go in ahead of time, make sure rooms and cars aren't bugged, map out everywhere Obama will be so they know at all times what his surroundings are, familiarize themselves and draw up reports on every little detail on every little thing. They weren't the guys standing off to the saide of the president keeping a look out for would be assassins, and I'm getting sick of people acting like that's what their job was.
ReplyDeleteI'm not trying to excuse their actions, but these guys were not the highest caliber agents like people seem to be thinking.
Delete"Wheels up, rings off" is one of the more disgusting phrases I have read in awhile.
ReplyDeleteNot condoning their actions, but I thought (or at least hoped) the SS were smarter than this. It will be interesting to see if this is wide-spread (no pun) throughout the SS or just certain teams.
ReplyDeleteThese agents knew the rules - one of which is to stay clear of any compromising position that would allow them to be blackmailed or coerced. Dumbasses.
ReplyDeleteThey should have been fired. And while they have their pink slips out they should be firing a lot more people from the GSA, including those idiots that made those videos.
ReplyDeleteI would have been shocked 20 years ago, but American society has gone to Hell in a hand basket since Reagan was shot 31 (WOW) years ago. Why be surprised these idiots screwed up? I hate that I am saying this, but I am more surprised that this is their first big screw-up! Colombia is gorgeous, but can be a very dangerous country. Getting caught not paying for their hookers is just minor as to how disastrous this could have turned out!!
ReplyDeleteI feel so stupid for asking but what does the "wheels up" part of that phrase mean?
ReplyDelete"Wheels Up"-landing gear up and plane is off to next destination.
ReplyDelete@seaward
ReplyDeleteThat may be even worse as they had all information regarding the president's upcoming trip - leaving him open to planned ambush. So, yes, they were there to protect the president by creating a safe environment for him to come into. A situation that they compromised themselves by their actions. Secret Service is Secret Service. It's not like we thought they were banging hookers on stage behind the president or something. Sheesh. What these guys did is deplorable based upon the perpetuation of the human trafficking industry. What these guys did was deplorable because they opened themselves up to having information obtained by unsavory individuals. What they did was deplorable because they are expected to maintain a modicum of decency and represent their organization with professionalism within their positions. So maybe they're not the guys standing right next to the president, they ARE the guys that go in ahead of time to make sure that the guys on the stage don't have anything to worry about. That's pretty damned important, if you ask me.
If indeed these agents had the president's schedule and other sensitive information in their rooms, it would be so easy to distract one of them while a 2nd or 3rd person runs off with the goods.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the movie Munich, where one Israeli agent has sex with a supposedly random hot girl, who is in fact a "bad guy". She ends up killing him.
If indeed these agents had the president's schedule and other sensitive information in their rooms, it would be so easy to distract one of them while a 2nd or 3rd person runs off with the goods.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the movie Munich, where one Israeli agent has sex with a supposedly random hot girl, who is in fact a "bad guy". She ends up killing him.
Wheels Up, Rings Off is common for all types of business travelers, not just Secret Service. I think the IT guys with the the defense contractors in Northern VA do the same thing. Hell, most of the guys who travel on business do this stuff. I know. I've been doing a whole crapload of STD testing on married men lately.
ReplyDeleteReally, this is so disturbing. You are guarding the president and focused on having sex with prostitutes? What priorities. I get that that is a macho job akin to the former Blackwater prestige, and high paying and dangerous so testosterone must be high, but it's both their lives and that of the President's. Keep it in your pants! What is Obama saying about this?
ReplyDeleteGetting sick of people acting like that's what their job was? THAT's what you're sick of? OMG, you won't do! What exactly do you think the function of that job description you gave was? Yes, protecting the president in advance. When a former president visited a store I used to work at for publicity reasons, we were all scrutinized and our backgrounds checked, even if we were not going to be there that day. No one fraternized with us and we were KNOWN to them. Point is, they compromised their position, period. Get sick of it if you will, but the outrage is still valid. If their jobs were not integral to the safety of the president, it would not be a job.
ReplyDeleteOh lord, you people. Do you realize there are over 10,000 people who are involved with traveling with the president? This was a handful of those 10,000+ people. Do you realize the secret service agents do this after every single trip (as recently admitted in a NPR interview by a secret service expert who is also part of the 10,000+ people) and the outrage right now is over 1) being caught and 2) happening BEFORE Obama got there?
ReplyDeleteI'm so desperately sorry my first comment seems to have offended so many of you, but you need to pull your heads out of your asses and open your eyes.
These guys were considered underlings (anyone who gets there before potus is), and it is ridiculous that the people who are higher up and more important in the organization are having to foot the blame for it.
Also, ~mspoppypants~, I qualified my original post with "I'm not trying to excuse their actions." NOWHERE did I say the outrage isn't valid.
I never said you were excusing their actions. I am amused at your own outrage (and that is how it is coming across) and intolerance for people that you are 'so sick' of their confusion and want them 'to get their heads out of their asses.' Haha! Then you 'are so sorry.' Hilarious. Isn't that much anger over OTHER people's perspectives making you uncomfortable? If it is truly bothering you so much, maybe you should disengage from your investment in their reactions. But no need to apologize and then tell people to pull their heads out of their asses, unless you plan to issue another insincere apology. I forgive you.
ReplyDelete@seward
ReplyDeleteOh!! They're underlings and and it happens all the time so they just totally shouldn't get in trouble because of those very valid reasons. Gotcha!!
It's a good thing their upper level agents don't have to worry about any flack because it's not their fault the underling agents weren't being properly managed. I see. It makes SO much more sense now!
My outrage is not because they were caught, but also because what they were caught doing perpetuates the human trafficking industry and, whether you choose to accept it or not, they put national security at risk to get trashed and bang prostitutes. So, yes, the people higher up in the organization deserve a swift kick as well.
10k people travel w/the President?!? I hate to see bashing here, but c'mon seaward, that is more than a "slight" exaggeration!!
ReplyDeleteSeaward I understand your statement that the SS agents busted may have held a lower rank but this is Janitors and Lab Scientists....you act like its some Pinky and the Brain type shit, I think everyone else is just focusing on the dumb actions those hired to work in the US Govt put the POTUS, themselves, and this nation through...They compromised the nation for a cumshot they didnt want to pay for...lol and we joke about LA being stereotypically cheap and low class lol
ReplyDelete