WASHINGTON — Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, is demanding answers to 50 questions about the Secret Service prostitution scandal from agency director Mark Sullivan, according to a letter provided to FOX News Channel Sunday.
In his letter to Sullivan, King asks for details about exactly who was involved in the incident; whether government money was used to purchase the services of prostitutes; and whether firearms or sensitive equipment or materials were in the agents’ hotel rooms.
In addition, he asked for detailed information about the women involved in the incident and whether there is evidence that any of the Secret Service agents may have been in contact with one or more of the women either before or after the incident occurred.
King, who has demanded answers to the questions by Friday, April 27, also asked whether any members of the Executive Office of the President were involved in the alleged incident.
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, also asked about the possibility of the involvement of White House staffers during an interview Sunday.
In an appearance on “FOX News Sunday,” Lieberman urged the White House to launch an internal probe into whether any of its staff might have been involved in a night of partying that ended with Secret Service agents and military personnel bringing Colombian prostitutes back to their hotel in Cartagena, where they were preparing for a visit by President Barack Obama.
Six Secret Service agents have lost their jobs in the wake of the incident, which has implicated up to 23 agents and service members.
“There’s no evidence (of White House involvement), but I don’t know that the Secret Service is actually investigating that question,” Lieberman said Sunday. “I’d say it’s a reasonable question and that the White House ought to be conducting its own internal investigation of White House personnel who were in Cartagena, just to make sure that none of them were involved in this kind of inappropriate behavior.”
Lieberman also noted that a 12th Secret Service employee recently placed on administrative leave after being implicated in the events was staying at the Hilton in Cartagena — the same hotel where Obama stayed days later.
The other agents had been staying at the Hotel Caribe. It was still, unclear, however, if the 12th agent was accused of bringing a foreign woman back to his hotel or whether he played a different role in the incident.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Friday the administration has “no reason to believe” an internal White House investigation would be needed to probe involvement by its own staffers.
Lieberman said his committee is also looking into the incident and will hold at least one hearing on the matter. He said he plans on examining possible violations of a rule that Secret Service agents cannot use “intoxicants” within six hours of duty.