INTERNEWSTIMES.COM
A US Secret Service agent has been placed on administrative leave following allegations of sexual misconduct against a member of Vice President Kamala Harris’s staff. The Secret Service confirmed to the BBC on Wednesday that an investigation is underway, but declined to provide specifics, stating that the agency “holds its personnel to the highest standard.”
The vice president’s office confirmed that they were aware of the incident and the ongoing inquiry, but declined to elaborate further. A source confirmed to the BBC that the incident involved a Harris aide.
This incident comes amidst growing scrutiny of the Secret Service, the agency responsible for protecting the president, vice president, and other high-profile officials. The vice president’s office issued a statement to the BBC emphasizing their “zero tolerance for sexual misconduct.”
According to reports from the BBC’s US partner CBS, the agent under investigation was on a trip with Harris staff members in Wisconsin last week to plan logistics for a planned visit by the Democratic presidential nominee. After dinner and drinks, the agent allegedly groped the Harris aide in a hotel room while others were present. The Associated Press, citing sources, reports that the agent appeared to be intoxicated.
The vice president’s staff and Secret Service officials were in Green Bay last week scouting locations for an event scheduled for last Friday. However, Harris ultimately decided to travel to Atlanta, Georgia instead.
These revelations come as a congressional panel released a scathing report detailing numerous failures by the Secret Service leading up to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in July. The Senate Homeland Security committee concluded that a “foreseeable” breakdown in communication and coordination between law enforcement partners put the former president at risk.
The agency is currently seeking a $3 billion (£2.2 billion) increase in its annual budget to hire more agents, upgrade equipment, and expand training to address what they describe as a “hyper-dynamic threat environment.” A Gallup poll released on Monday revealed a significant decline in public approval of the Secret Service, with a 23-point drop in the percentage of Americans rating their performance as satisfactory. (Red)
