By Joe Saunders September 26, 2024 at 8:24am
The Secret Service is dealing with another shameful scandal.
The agency, already under fire after two assassination attempts on former President Donald Trump, is facing more negative headlines after the website RealClearPolitics reported Wednesday that an agent was accused of sexually assaulting a member of Vice President Kamala Harris’ staff during a trip in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The agent is accused of being under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly groped the woman in a Wisconsin hotel room, RealClearPolitics reported.
“The special agent in question and several Harris staffers were dining and drinking alcohol at a local restaurant after wrapping up work for the day. The group went back to the Harris staffer’s hotel room when the Secret Service agent in question allegedly forced himself on the woman staffer, groping her in the process – actions that were apparently witnessed by other people present,” RealClearPolitics reported.
“One source in the Secret Service community said the accused agent was so inebriated that he was kicked out of his hotel room by co-workers and passed out in the hallway, where photos were taken of him.”
The accused agent was placed on administrative leave and his gun and badge were taken from him after the Secret Service was notified about the incident, NBC News reported, noting it was unable to independently confirm the details reported by RealClearPolitics.
“The U.S. Secret Service Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating a misconduct allegation involving an employee,” a Secret Service representative said in a statement, according to NBC. “The Secret Service holds its personnel to the highest standards.”
The standards of the Secret Service have been in public question since the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that almost succeeded. The would-be assassin was killed by a Secret Service countersniper.
The agency came under fire again after another assassination attempt on Trump was foiled Sept. 15 at Trump International Golf Course near West Palm Beach, Florida. The would-be killer in that case is in custody, charged in a federal indictment with attempted assassination of a presidential candidate and other counts.
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However, the agency is taking criticism for the gunman, Ryan Routh, not being captured earlier.
And all this comes as Trump is facing reported assassination plots from the Islamic Republic of Iran.
So, a federal agency that has “Secret” in the first word of its name is getting some very public bad press:
Secret Service agent under investigation for alleged sex assault on Harris campaign aide https://t.co/78MuNjpvxi
— CNBC (@CNBC) September 25, 2024
Harris aide accuses Secret Service agent of sexual assault during work trip https://t.co/QZfhVuprUH
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) September 26, 2024
‘Drunk’ Secret Service agent groped Kamala campaign worker’s chest and tried to assault second victim before being booted out of party and falling asleep in hotel’s hall https://t.co/W0jNJkzQCi pic.twitter.com/3K9uv7MnaH
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) September 25, 2024
Few details about the Wisconsin incident have become public so far.
The group involved was on an advance mission for a potential Harris visit to the battleground state. However, the visit never came off as the Harris campaign opted to go to Georgia, another battleground, instead, RealClearPolitics reported.
Harris’ office released a statement that shed little light on the incident, but stated that it “takes the safety of staff very seriously.”
“We have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct,” the statement said, according to RealClearPolitics.
“Senior [Office of the Vice President] officials were alerted by the USSS about an incident involving an agent and informed that USSS initiated an investigation. The Office of the Vice President will not be releasing further information.”
Joe has spent more than 30 years as a reporter, copy editor and metro desk editor in newsrooms in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida. He’s been with Liftable Media since 2015.
Joe has spent more than 30 years as a reporter, copy editor and metro editor in newsrooms in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida. He’s been with Liftable Media since 2015. Largely a product of Catholic schools, who discovered Ayn Rand in college, Joe is a lifelong newspaperman who learned enough about the trade to be skeptical of every word ever written. He was also lucky enough to have a job that didn’t need a printing press to do it.
Birthplace
Philadelphia
Nationality
American
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