WaPo: WH Pushed Delay for Secret Service Misconduct Report to After 2012 Election
The Washington Post has yet another bombshell report tonight about the Secret Service, and it involves that infamous Columbian prostitution scandal from two years ago. Agents got fired, investigations were carried out, and officials denied any direct White House knowledge.
But it turns out, WaPo reports, senior White House aides were actually given information about a prostitute staying with a Secret Service agents, but “that information was never thoroughly investigated or publicly acknowledged.”
The lead investigator in the case, David Nieland, apparently relayed to Senate staffers that he felt political pressure to delay any reports until after the presidential election. And not just that, it was also because information within the report “was potentially embarrassing to the administration.”
A spokesman for the White House denies anyone interfered with the investigation, though staffers in the IG office claimed they were punished for asking questions about potential White House involvement.
And there are reportedly Secret Service agents who got angry with the White House for deflecting blame off them and onto Secret Service agents.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Eric Schultz put out a statement rebutting the report and saying there was no conspiracy:
.@Schultz44: "As was reported more than 2 years ago, the WH conducted an internal review that did not identify any inappropriate behavior…
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 9, 2014
…on the part of the WH advance team"
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 9, 2014
.@Schultz44: "And of course there was no White House interference with an IG investigation."
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 9, 2014
You can read the full report here.
[image via Shutterstock]
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