Secret Service Scandal: Agents’ Security Clearances Revoked Over Prostitution Allegations

The prostitution and misconduct allegations involving the Secret Service widen as the agents under investigations have reportedly lost their security clearances. Moreover, the number of U.S. military personnel accused of being involved in the scandal has doubled.

CBS News reported that at least 10 military personnel, including one from every branch, are now accused of possibly partying with prostitutes in Colombia prior to President Barack Obama's arrival at Summit of the Americas meeting in Cartagena, Colombia.

Eleven members of the Secret Service have also been accused of misconduct and of soliciting prostitutes before the summit.

A Fox News radio report noted that the members who have lost their top secret clearance have been banned from entering any Secret Service facility as the investigation continues. Two supervisors and three members of the exclusive Counter Assault Team are under suspension, the radio report also stated.

Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke at a news conference at the Pentagon on Monday, saying that the leadership of the armed forces was embarrassed by the scandal. Dempsey also didn't like that the scandal distracted attention from Obama's trip.

I can speak for myself and my fellow chiefs: We're embarrassed by what occurred in Colombia, though we're not sure exactly what it is, Dempsey said.

We let the boss down, he said, because nobody's talking about what went on in Colombia other than this incident.

The Washington Post reported that a people in Cartagena familiar with the incident said that some of the Secret Service agents paid $60 apiece to owners of a strip club, Pleyclub, to bring at least two of the women back to the Hotel Caribe. Sources also told the Post that the next morning one of the women reportedly demanded an additional payment of $170, which sparked an argument with an agent, drawing attention from the hotel.

Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent now running for the Senate, on Tuesday told CBS This Morning that the scandal is probably the most embarrassing to date for the service.

Unfortunately, they weren't thinking, Bongino said. It was an awful decision.