Another scandal for Secret Service; Harris campaign staffer accuses USSS agent of sexual assault

The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that it is investigating allegations of sexual assault against one of its agents. According to the allegations, the agent assaulted an employee of Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign team.

The incident, reported by several media outlets, allegedly occurred during a visit by Harris' campaign team to Green Bay, Wisconsin. According to sources cited by RealClearPolitics, the operative touched the woman inappropriately in her hotel room after a dinner at a local restaurant, where other campaign staffers were also present.

The staffer, who is part of Harris' re-election team, was accompanied by fellow staffers as they ate and drank alcohol at a local restaurant, and some witnesses even reportedly witnessed some of this agent's conduct.

A Secret Service source indicated that the accused agent was so drunk that his own colleagues dragged him out of his hotel room. He subsequently passed out in the hallway, where he was photographed.

In a statement, the Secret Service reported that the agent was suspended on administrative leave while the case is investigated.

Precedent in the Secret Service 

This is not the first scandal to rock the Secret Service. In 2012, the agency faced one of its biggest scandals when it was discovered that several of its agents and uniformed officers hired prostitutes while in Cartagena, Colombia, while serving under then-President Barack Obama. As a result of that incident, 11 agents were suspended, and the agency faced intense scrutiny over its professional conduct.

Additional challenges for the Secret Service

The agency was already under pressure following criticism over operational failures that occurred just before an assassination attempt against ex-President Donald Trump in July. These recent events have raised questions about the organization's ability to properly manage its personnel and maintain security in critical situations.

The results of the investigation are expected to be released in the coming weeks, while consequences for the agent involved and the agency's response to the scandal are being assessed.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Kamala Harris' campaign team also weighed in on what happened, assuring that the vice presidential office "takes the safety of staff seriously" and that sexual misconduct is not tolerated.