*A Secret Service agent has been placed on administrative leave following allegations of sexually assaulting an aide to Vice President Kamala Harris during a recent trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The alleged incident occurred after the agent dined and drank with Harris staffers and later joined them in a hotel room, where the assault took place in the presence of others, USA Today reports. The Secret Service is investigating the matter. The aide works for Harris’ office, not her campaign, and the trip was for advance security planning for a canceled campaign stop.
In a statement, a Secret Service spokesman said its Office of Professional Responsibility “is investigating a misconduct allegation involving an employee.”
The statement continued, “The Secret Service holds its personnel to the highest standards. The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”
A spokesperson for Vice President Harris’ office confirmed that the Secret Service informed senior officials about the allegations.
“The Office of the Vice President take the safety of staff seriously,” the spokesperson said, Real Clear Politics reports. “We have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct. Senior OVP officials were alerted by the USSS about an incident involving an agent and informed that USSS initiated an investigation.”
A tea spiller within the Secret Service community revealed that the accused agent was so intoxicated that co-workers removed him from his hotel room, and he passed out in the hallway, where photos were taken of him.
A court will ultimately determine if the agent’s actions constitute sexual assault, but Real Clear Politics reports that he likely violated rules regarding alcohol-fueled misconduct. The agency prohibits alcohol consumption within 10 hours of reporting for duty.
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