Secret Service scores an A- in scandal response
Soon after a reporter revealed that Secret Service agents hired prostitutes while on duty, the agency has accepted responsibility and issued timely updates.
Wait, what? The agency with the squeaky clean record (and some other military personnel outside of the agency) have been charged with allegedly bringing as many as 21 foreign prostitutes to their Colombian hotel rooms, cavorting, until a hotel manager was called after a prostitute claimed she wasn’t paid and ultimately exposed the agents.
(A reminder that prostitution is legal in some parts of Colombia; this case is about code of conduct rather laws being broken).
What makes this case disturbing on so many levels is:
Grading the PR crisis response
It’s important to note that this scandal dredged up more than simply another ping to the public’s collective consciousness about a governmental scandal. It also raised the specter that perhaps a larger cultural issue is at stake within the Secret Service that transcends the need to weed out a few bad apples.
How has the federal government reacted to this crisis?
1. Communication. Following the breaking news of the scandal, the federal government appeared to work fast to alleviate concerns about a widespread issue. Many, however, feel this incident is possibly symbolic of a bigger cultural issue in the Secret Service. Grade: B+
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