by Michael Yoakum
Impunity Watch Reporter, North America
WASHINGTON, D.C., United States – Two members of President Obama’s Secret Service protective detail are under investigation for sexual misconduct by federal law enforcement agencies. This news come just 18 months after a prostitution scandal came to light involving Secret Service agents in South America.
The most recent incident began in the spring of this year when a call from the Hay-Adams hotel to authorities described Secret Service agents attempting to break in to a woman’s room. Just a month prior to that event, the service named its first female director, Julia Pierson, in an attempt to dispel the the perception of a male-dominated culture within the agency.
According to the Washington Post, the hotel incident started when a Secret Service agent began removing bullets from his service weapon and left a round in the room of a woman whom he met at the hotel bar. The agent later tried to reenter the room in order to recover the bullet, identifying himself to the hotel staff as a member of the Secret Service.
The agent was identified by the Post as Ignacio Zamora, Jr. a supervisor of at least two dozen agents on the President’s personal protective detail. Since news of the incident went public Wednesday, Zamora has been reassigned off the President’s detail.
A government source reported that the internal investigation into this incident was started because of the inquiries made by the Post. Representatives of the Secret Service were quick in telling the press that they would investigate the matter fully, taking necessary steps to correct the actions of that agent.
“Any misconduct is regrettable, but when it is identified, appropriate action is always taken based on established rules and regulations,” said Edwin Donovan, deputy assistant director of the Secret Service.
The inspector general report on this incident is expected to be available within the next few weeks.
For more information, please see:
ABC News – Report: 2 Secret Service Supervisors Under Probe – 14 November 2013
CNN – 2 Secret Service supervisors under investigation in misconduct probe – 14 November 2013
NBC News – Secret service agent removed after leaving bullet in woman’s hotel room – 14 November 2013
USA Today – 2 Secret Service supervisors axed from Obama detail – 14 November 2013
Washington Post – Two Secret Service agents cut from Obama’s detail after alleged misconduct – 13 November 2013
