Any opinions on the secret service scandal involving prostitutes in Columbia?
When abroad, US citizens are expected to abide by the laws of a foreign country. Should they also be allowed to engage in activities that are legal in the foreign country even if those activities are illegal back in their home country??
Admittedly, all bets are off if the activities could in any way compromise their ability to perform their job (e.g., have a hangover, disclose secret information to a prostitute)?
The Secret Service agents were on the job, and they should have known better than to engage in any activities that would endanger the president or show the US in a bad light. They are not being prosecuted but they are losing their jobs. This is necessary discipline.
US tourists are not held to such a high standard. But they can be prosecuted under US sex tourism laws if they engage in sex with children.
The stupid bastard should have paid the girl and that would have been the end of it.
I agree that the Secret Service should have resisted the temptation to have fun. But damn, those Columbian girls look very delicious.
It is a good idea to obey the laws in foreign countries because there is little help if you are detained and charged with a crime.
It is sad that we are in a world where you hear people blaming Obama for this though (like crazy Sarah Palin).
Obama has not been a great president by a long shot, but I'm sure there were the occasional secret service guys who indulged in local hookers under previous administrations. Wouldn't have been Bush's (or Clinton's etc) fault either.
On another note I try to keep within the laws when I travel abroad. Not worth the hassle to break them. Guys who travel abroad (or anywhere) to have sex with kids should be prosecuted, either by the country they visit or by the US, so I'm cool with that.
It is sad that we are in a world where you hear people blaming Obama for this though (like crazy Sarah Palin).
Obama has not been a great president by a long shot, but I'm sure there were the occasional secret service guys who indulged in local hookers under previous administrations. Wouldn't have been Bush's (or Clinton's etc) fault either.
On another note I try to keep within the laws when I travel abroad. Not worth the hassle to break them. Guys who travel abroad (or anywhere) to have sex with kids should be prosecuted, either by the country they visit or by the US, so I'm cool with that.
Sorry about the double post. New tablet
Having gone through government background checks and such for clearance, what they did was not above board. Were I to get caught doing that, I too would likely be out of a job!
We've certainly come a long way since Warren G. Harding, when the Secret Service was expected to supply the President with bootleg whiskey and to escort his four mistresses in and out of the White House.
The US is a bit unusual in claiming that it has jurisdiction over its citizens even when they are outside the country. But this isn't a criminal case. Soliciting a prostitute isn't even a Federal crime. The issue is that the agents compromised their security clearances. While I defend their right to blow off some steam, in this case they were on the clock and I must reluctantly agree that it was inappropriate.
I do not believe that 11 Secret Service agents all decided to go get hookers. How many times do you and 10 of your friends decide to all go to the club or get hookers. To me it is more likely that they were scouting for Obama. Getting the girls lined up for him. That is a detail that 11 guys could get behind. I refuse to believe that 11 guys happened to decide to go get hookers.
"We've certainly come a long way since Warren G. Harding, when the Secret Service was expected to supply the President with bootleg whiskey and to escort his four mistresses in and out of the White House."
I'm surprise someone like Rush hasn't suggested that they were just doing advance work to clear hookers for Obama.
I'm sure everyone remembers this story nymag.com well the secret service guys deserve whatever result they get more than this guy's wife did.
Like she says in the story, "“Civil servants have very limited civil rights,†she continues. “We are bound by unwritten norms and practices, and we have to pay the price if we violate them.†"
The biggest problem is these guys got caught. Otherwise I have no issues with these goings on.
This stuff has been going on for decades. Probably since teh US government came into being and started sending missions overseas. Further evidence, actually just one more pebble in the mountain of evidence why that diarrhea hole Palin is unfit to serve in any public service capacity.
In their positions, as Secret Service, on duty in a foreign country, not cool to bring in hookers. But come on, pay the girl the few dollars and be done with it. And I agree with Daddillac, all 11 guys at one time? Something sounds a bit off with that.
Latest news on this I heard on TV this morning was that prior similar events were occurring at other times. So be it. A man has needs. Because they were federal employees on sensitive duty, it's going to be investigated and investigated and investigated. The feds are going to milk this one for everything they can get.
My impression of the Secret Service is that it is a 24/365 job. The job is always first. Always. You eat, breath, sleep, live the job.
Since they are always on duty, then they violated their job requirements. It is not "fair," but that's the commitment they made by accepting the job. They compromised the security of their assignment.
However, I agree with others that 11 guys all out for tail at the same time doesn't add up. What are the odd of 11 secret services agent all going AWOL at the same time on the same assignment???
I wonder how long it's been since they removed Geography from the school curriculum?
Everybody (in several posts) keeps referring to that country as Columbia (as in the U.S. district) - it is ColOmbia (COLO) not ColUmbia (COLU)!!!
Except for the very public blackeye they gave themselves, and by extension the country, I have no issue with this.
This isn't the Cold War, random prostitutes are not sleeper agents. I'm still not even totally sure how directly involved these guys were with Obama's security.
Had the guy just paid her, the issue would be moot.
I heard there was another group of Secret Service guys who never made it to the club. They got off the plane in Columbia, South Carolina by mistake and ended up at Heartbreakers.
Interesting point mjx-- is the secret service really "on duty" 24/365? This doesn't seem realistic even if they implicitly or explicitly agreed to this type of assignment. When you travel on a business assignment, are you pretty clear about when you're "working" versus when you have personal time. Are you willing to visit a strip club while on a business trip as long as you are not incurring any additional expenses for the business (they are personal expenses) and you are not compromising your ability to discharge your business obligations? Should the secret service be held to a different standard?
Good point Papi (and better retort Ermita)-- surely Colombia has better strip clubs than the relatively lame strip club scene in Columbia (as in the District of).
They don't get paid for round the clock, but if the boss calls at midnight and says you're expected to be at the strip club in 20 minutes, you'd better be there. Just like my job.
