John Brennan: Secret Service response sends positive message
WASHINGTON -- John Brennan, President Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, said Sunday that investigators are looking into whether Secret Service agents who brought prostitutes back to their hotel rooms in Colombia "put at risk either classified information or security."
Appearing on CNN's State of the Union, Brennan said the episodes in Cartagena, Colombia, did not create a threat to the president.
"The Secret Service has done a fantastic job over the course of many decades," Brennan said. "This is something that we want to make sure remains as strong as possible in the coming years."
Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan acted quickly, Brennan said, which has "demonstrated to the world we're going to take the corrective actions that are needed."
Brennan's comments followed a new conduct policy for Secret Service agents traveling abroad that was announced Friday.
Agents are now prohibited from drinking once the president or protectee arrives in country and from bringing foreigners to their hotel rooms, according to a summary of the rules provided by Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary.
The announcement of the new policy comes as the agency attempts to improve a badly damaged reputation after agents — members of an advance team scouting out Cartagena before Obama's visit earlier this month — were found to have brought prostitutes back to their hotel rooms.
Nine Secret Service officials were ousted from their jobs after the Colombia incident, and the agency is now also reviewing similar allegations against agents in San Salvador prior to a visit by Obama in 2011. The Defense Department is also investigating a dozen members of the military on the advance team who face similar allegations.
The new rules also stipulate:
•The State Department's Regional Security Officer will work with advance teams to provide intensified country-specific briefings upon arrival in a foreign country. The ambassador of the country will establish areas and establishments that agents are prohibited from visting.
•Before the president or protectee arrives, alcohol may only be consumed in moderate amounts and drinking is prohibited within 10 hours of reporting for duty.
•Patronization of non-reputable establishments is prohibited.
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