Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, says the investigation of the Secret Service prostitution scandal must end with responsible parties losing their jobs.
“If it was just the 12 knuckleheads that were involved, as the president said, then I'd say [Secret Service] director [Mark] Sullivan has got no problems,” Grassley told CBS’ "This Morning,"
The Hill reports. “But if it goes much deeper, you know nothing happens, nothing's changed in Washington if heads don't roll.”
Grassley has asked the White House for more information about the scandal, including whether any administration staffers acted improperly. On Friday he called for an independent inquiry by the Homeland Security Department’s Inspector General.
"We've got to make sure the military people involved, the president's advance people, the communication office of the White House, and the Secret Service, from now on into the future — this culture can't persist," Grassley said.
An investigation has begun into 12 Secret Service agents and 12 members of the military involved with advance security ahead of President Barack Obama’s trip to Colombia last week. They’re being investigated for accusations of bringing up to 21 prostitutes to their hotel. Six of the agents have been fired, three have been cleared of serious misconduct, and the rest have been suspended until the investigation is completed.
The scandal has mushroomed to include allegations of misbehavior by Secret Service agents in El Salvador, Argentina, and Russia going back as far as the Clinton administration. Those reports haven’t been confirmed.
"We've got to get to the bottom of the allegations in order to know whether our national security is being protected and the president is being properly protected," Grassley said.
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