But I thought…

The Secret Service Snafu has me wondering here… The Agents apparently broke no laws.  So why are they being punished?  Most of the people who are “Outraged” about it are the same people who dismissed Bill Clinton’s actions in an Intern as “Just sex, and none of our business.”  If that’s the standard, then what about if there wasn’t even any of that?  Just “Escorts” and some drinking and carrying on like what goes on in behind the curtain in a lot of professional cultures where the public front is a perfectly worn suite and a poker face.  Just ask Japan.

The men were off duty.  No laws were broken.  I don’t see a problem with that.  The only problem that I have was the apparent loose handling of Confidential Information.  That’s not cool.  But whooping it up while off duty?  I don’t care.

I also don’t care that another SS Agent post pics of Sarah Palin saying “I’d hit that” or whatever he was going on about.  I wouldn’t fire him.  I’m send him to work counterfitting cases or something, because that was in poor taste to do what he did… but again… he violated no laws or sacred trust.   And most guys offended by what he did all agree and were thinking the same thing.

13 thoughts on “But I thought…”

  1. I would think that being an advance team for the President would mean one is always on duty? Not to mention, in a country hostile to the United States cavorting with locals might also breach security.

  2. They didnt break any laws? I thought this all blew up because one or two of them didnt pay the prostitute. Either prostitution is legal and those agents that failed to pay committed fraud or it is illegal and they solicited prostitution, in which case they are all guilty.

    In the organizational culture of the service they committed the sin of calling attention to themselves. If I am not mistaken, whether it is legal or not patronizing prostitutes is an issue with your security clearance and if you loose that you cannot be an agent.

  3. Playing stupid games while on a PSD mission, ESPECIALLY for POTUS (no matter who he or she may be) is unprofessional and very risky. It’s a no-brainer, and that shit is frowned upon, or just plain prohibited in professional circles. I used to work on a high profile .gov PSD team, and when I was conducting missions, it was no nonsense, no flapping my gums. Nobody knew who I was, or why I was there, unless they needed to know. This isn’t bodyguarding some crackhead singer, or rapper, or American Idol winner… Fucking clownshoes. Not only are you, as PSD team, responsible for protecting your client, you are responsible for not causing embarassment, and preventing the client/protectee from being embarassed. The SS utterly failed.

    Not to mention, US Military and US Gov employees are prohibited from engaging in prostition, even in countries where it is legal.

    1. Not to mention, US Military and US Gov employees are prohibited from engaging in prostition, even in countries where it is legal.

      – – – Correct.

      I have to ensure my guys get the “Trafficking in Persons” General Military Training brief every year. The briefs specifically states that prostitution is illegal for mil and US GOV EMPLOYEES, even in countries where it is legal.

      1. On December 16, 2002 the President signed a National Security Presidential Directive mandating a “zero tolerance” policy toward trafficking among members of the US armed services, civilian employees and civilian contractors

        “…the policy of the United States is to attack vigorously the worldwide problem of trafficking using law enforcement, diplomacy, and all other appropriate tools.”

        “Those who patronize this industry debase themselves and deepen the misery of others. Governments that tolerate this trade are tolerating a form of slavery.”

        (President George W. Bush, Sept 2003)

  4. Apparently a big part of the problem is that the size of the the Presidential entourage Secret Service and all has been growing larger in size than the actual threats. Apparently there haa been some empire building for the Secret Service. One result is that they have so many people that they don’t have enough to do and in some ways are less effective than a smaller force would be. One complaint is the have to have to start moving so far ahead of a Presidential vist it that it becomes a tip off. The cost is growing exponentially and the threat has been linear if that since the start of the WOT. The Service has been growing more and more since the hit on Reagan. Some of is probably cover our ass but it is getting ridiculous. While no other foreign leader probably is as juicy a target as the US President none of them have anything like the size of the US Presidential entourage. The more staff the Prez drags around with him the more protection needed for them. Some say it has become a matter of prestige to have Secret Service protection.

  5. What Gene says…

    The agents were acting like clowns and idiots. We are talking about needing agents who are the very MODEL of professional G-Men, not some whiskey drinking hormone-driven macho-men who
    advertise who they are and why they are there.

    It is called the SECRET SERVICE. That is who they ARE. They see you, but you don’t notice them.
    They are supposed to be inconspicuous as much as possible. Chasing poontang at a night club
    is contrary to every aspect of their employment. They are supposed to be much, much more than
    mere door-shakers. They are the President’s security team. Good team there, Obama.

  6. Toad I would also guess that some of it is keeping agents busy in between elections. The requirements on the service during an election year is incredible, they go from protecting POTUS and other members of the executive branch (Vice pres and some cabinet) to protecting all the major candidates PLUS a very busy travel schedule for all these individuals. To have the ass to cover an election year they need more agents than they need on the off years. That may be where some of the expansion comes from.

    Its easy to say there is too much protection, till you lose a President. Talk about the ultimate zero defects culture.

  7. I think the feds would do well to drop degree requirements for Special Agent positions (in any agency), and drop the age limitations for hiring/retiring in LEAP covered positions. Why? They would attract more guys and gals that have some solid street experience from municipal, county and state agencies. Attracting older and experienced people to be Special Agents would help a lot with the maturity issues, not to mention, improve the overall performance of fed agents. I know a hell of a lot of local cops that don’t have degrees, and are too old, but are outstanding LEOs and Investigators. I have horror stories about conducting operations with fed Special Agents.

    Push experience and maturity over college. It’s scary that a kid can come out of University and become a Special Agent.

  8. Maybe someone should send a copy of Uprising to the Head of the Secret Service. He could go for an all female body guard group for the President. What’s even better the First Lady’s imput would probably mandate some big ones. With just four of them around the Prez they would not need to jump in front of the Prez to take a bullet, they’d just “be” there. It would look like the Prez was in the pocket of some UPS trucks.

  9. If he had paid the girl this might never have come up.Then again, as much as we are hated in some of the world you know they will do all they can to catch us out. People who are representing us need to use their damn brain a little.

  10. Gene, I think the wind is blowing against dropping the degree requirement for federal agents. A BA or BS is the new high school diploma and is becoming increasingly desired for LOCAL law enforcement recruits. At the least the degree requirement should be maintained for recruits without significant LE experience, two years of patrol doesnt cut it in my book.

    1. Yup, you are correct. However, I’ve seen guys with HS diplomas out-write circles around college grads. Personally, I’d rather see, as a new Special Agent, a literate, articulate, HS diploma guy, that maybe did some mil time and has a couple years on the street as a Cop than a college frat boy with no life experience as a brand new SA. I’ve seen too many college grads, that are young with no experience, come on my agency and completely shit the bed. I think experience and maturity are much more desirable than a piece of paper.

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