Issa: Secret Service may need "soul-searching"

(CBS News) Rep. Darrell Issa, chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said the Secret Service might be in need of wholesale change.

"Is the whole organization in need of some soul-searching?" Issa asked. He was responding to the scandal that rocked the agency involving at least one prostitute which led to the expulsion of 11 Secret Service personnel from Cartagena, Colombia, where they were working in advance of the president's visit for the Summit of the America's.

On CBS News' "Face the Nation," Rep. Issa said he has not decided if he will hold hearings on the matter, but says there are many more questions that need to be answered.

"We think the number [of Secret Service personnel involved] might be higher, and we're asking for the exact amount of all the people who were involved," Issa said. "How did this happen, and how often has this happened before?

"Things like this don't happen once, if they didn't happen before," he said.

Issa said a situation like this could cause indirect consequences - including blackmail - which is a national security concern.

"We have to ask where are the systems in place to prevent this in the future," Issa said.

In a press briefing from Cartegena on Saturday, White House spokesperson Jay Carney said "the president does have full confidence in the United States Secret Service."

The agency said the incident has not impacted the president's security. Although some of the personnel are said to be agents, none of the men involved are part of the president's personal protective detail.

The incident at Hotel Caribe, involving two agency supervisors in Cartagena, resulted in 11 agents put on administrative leave.

"The nature of the allegations, coupled with a zero tolerance policy on personal misconduct, resulted in the Secret Service taking the decisive action to relieve these individuals of their assignment, return them to their place of duty and replace them with additional Secret Service personnel," Assistant Director Paul S. Morrissey of the Secret Service Office of Government and Public Affairs wrote in a statement.

The Secret Service has not released details, but CBS News confirmed that at least one prostitute was involved with a member of the Secret Service.

Defense service members may be part of "misconduct" incident

The U.S. Embassy was notified of the situation and the personnel were ordered from the country. The Secret Service immediately referred the case to the Office of Professional Responsibility to conduct an investigation.

Prostitution is legal in Colombia, but Secret Service personnel are expected to follow personal behavior guidelines.

[ScottBarnes]

The entire Committee on Homeland Security now has all the records ISSA and Peter King as well got the records today. Doubt they will do anything at all since, JSOP, WHCA all have " Dirty Laundry" on them so they will not push to hard only verbal combat on the News to get attention and then it cover Dark. The Royal Palms Scandal makes this USSS one a blimp on the radar. Operation Dark Shadow is already in place.

[TimeToEvolve]

Issa is a disastrous Republicon wacko, I don't know any better way to say it. He is the only convicted criminal still in Congress and they put him on a ethics committee LOL?

Not only that but we know that almost anything a Republicon says is exactly the opposite of what they mean. What does he expect from criminal organizations like the FBI and CIA. Wake up Issa *****.

[marychgo]

Would it be good for the Secret Service to do some "soul-searching" about its agents' inappropriate behavior in Colombia? Sure. It would also be good if Darrell Issa -- who is, I believe, Congress' richest member -- did a bit of "soul-searching" about some of his own political and economic decisions....

[marychgo]

Good lord, folks, get a clue! Secret Service agents are civil service employees of the Department of Homeland Security, not political appointees of a particular president. The agents put on leave are Secret Service advance people, not advance people Obama hired or selected. Since Secret Service advance people apparently don't DO personal protection, there's a good possibility Obama has never even MET these dudes!

[TJphoto]

To all those here who think "this is all Obama's fault" Then bring back the party of family values. Bathroom sex, page boys, get the picture? This is not not a story, it's politics as usual.

[dj_chi]

I originally heard this was the advance people, not the ones actually guarding the president. Has that changed? And that guy with the gay limo ride story... lie detector wasn't backing him up.

[wheear]

...by Overruled1 April 15, 2012 5:57 PM EDT
We've had enough of the praise the lord and pass the ammunition nonsense thanks....
The fact that one invites Christ into their life should cause them to realize that such fornication is against Biblical principals. This does work if you choose to let it.

[dj_chi]

But you also get people who attack others and ignore the teachings of the Bible - but use the Bible to defend their actions as justified and righteous. Just like people reading the Koran have followers who have no problem justifying terrorist actions despite the Koran's teachings against it. Saying Christ is the answer is too simplistic.

[BogusPeavy]

Folks, the Secret Service, while answerable to the President, is quite independent of him. The President is NOT their boss. THEY watch him, not the other way around and that's how they protect him. This is NOT a political issue but man, people sure seem to want it to be.

[calif7]

No they don't.

[BogusPeavy]

"Secret Service may need "soul-searching"

Perhaps but they don't seem to need Viagra.

[bajajohn1]

The Tail-Hook scandal under a Republican Prez was much worse.

[dj_chi]

Should've added that one to my list above... oh what happened to those glory days when the GOP showed off their moral superiority!

[jscott418-21618367473133020464]

I think the US needs some soul searching. I think we need to stop saying how great we are. We need to start admitting we have some serious issues that we simply ignore. Obama reaction to this needs to be firm. The Secret Service has a reputation that has now been tarnished. On Obama's watch.

[BogusPeavy]

Obama does not "watch" these guys - they watch him. Get it right.