Secret Service Data On Accusations Against Its Personnel Is Released

More than 200 pages worth of details about accusations made against Secret Service personnel since 2004 has been released. The accusations concern "claims of involvement with prostitutes, leaking sensitive information, publishing pornography, sexual assault, illegal wiretaps, improper use of weapons and drunken behavior," The Associated Press reports.

Important note: the list apparently deals with accusations, not confirmed cases of misconduct.

We'll pass along more about this as the story develops.

The list was released in response to Freedom of Information Act requests from the AP and other news organizations, which sought the information after word broke about Secret Service personnel cavorting with prostitutes in Colombia.

Update at 3:38 p.m. ET. Serious Allegations:

Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine and member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said some allegations are serious.

"While some of the allegations proved to be unfounded or frivolous, others appear to be legitimate, and that adds to my concern about apparent misconduct by some of the personnel of this vital law enforcement agency," Collins said in a statement. "The key question is whether these incidents indicate a larger cultural problem. That is why I pressed successfully for the Inspector General to conduct a fully independent review of the Cartagena misconduct and to evaluate the agency's culture."

Update at 3:21 p.m. ET. Hotline Complaints:

In a statement, the Secret Service says the documents released are all complaints that came into their hotline.

The statement reads in part:

"This document simply reflects an intake log received by the DHS OIG that in some way either mention or have been referred to the U.S. Secret Service. It includes allegations compiled over an 8 year period of time. The vast majority did not involve alleged misconduct by Secret Service agents or officers."

Update at 11:30 a.m. ET. Covers "Dozens Of Complaints":

The AP now adds that "basic details of the dozens of complaints were first revealed last month during a Senate hearing about the Colombia scandal, as senators questioned whether the Colombia incident was a sign of a broader culture problem at the storied agency tasked with protecting the president."

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