Two leading congressmen meanwhile revealed in a letter to Secret Service chief Mark Sullivan obtained by ABC News that agents accused of consorting with prostitutes may have been careless with "sensitive security information."
One "supervisory" employee will retire over the allegations that agents consorted with prostitutes, another has been told he will be sacked and a third "non-supervisory" employee has resigned, said Paul Morrissey, of the service's Office and Government and Public Affairs.
A total of 11 agents and at least 10 military personnel are being investigated over the incident, which reportedly came to light when a prostitute got into a dispute over payment with one of the agents.
"The right thing to do is to remove people who have violated the public trust and have put their playtime and their personal interests ahead of the interests of the nation," Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said.
The New York Times on Wednesday carried an interview with one of the prostitutes, who said that the affair came to light after an agent offered her $30 for sex after earlier agreeing to pay $750.
The 24-year-old woman, who was not identified, said the early morning row led to the matter being taken up by hotel and police in Colombia. She said her group of women had approached by the agents in a disco the night before.
The image of the US Secret Service, known for sharp suited agents with sunglasses and earpieces ready to take a bullet for the president, is being dragged through the mud in the scandal.
The agency, which protects presidents, their families, foreign leaders in the United States and presidential candidates, is enduring a painful trial by media and questions about the agency's entire culture.
The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley, said that if the lurid stories were true, it could do lasting damage to the Service's reputation.
"It's going to bring a black mark to the whole Secret Service because, for 150 years or so, I think they've been a pretty respected organization," Grassley said on MSNBC.
ORIGINAL SOURCE
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