State Department Fun and Games
 

"CBS News has uncovered documents that show the State Department may have covered up allegations of illegal and inappropriate behavior within their ranks."

"CBS News' John Miller reports that according to an internal State Department Inspector General's memo, several recent investigations were influenced, manipulated, or simply called off. The memo obtained by CBS News cited eight specific examples. Among them: allegations that a State Department security official in Beirut "engaged in sexual assaults" on foreign nationals hired as embassy guards and the charge and that members of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's security detail "engaged prostitutes while on official trips in foreign countries" -- a problem the report says was "endemic.""

"Aurelia Fedenisn, a former investigator with the State Department's internal watchdog agency, the Inspector General, told Miller, "We also uncovered several allegations of criminal wrongdoing in cases, some of which never became cases.""

In such cases, DSS agents told the Inspector General's investigators that senior State Department officials told them to back off, a charge that Fedenisn says is "very" upsetting.

Fedenisn says "hostile intelligence services" allow such behavior to continue. "I would be very surprised if some of those entities were not aware of the activities," she said. "So yes, it presents a serious risk to the United States government."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_1...investigations

I wish I could say I was surprised by such allegations, but I'm not in the least. This sort of stuff has being going on in the State Department and Secret Service (and other agencies) for decades. Given their choice, the agencies will never make such things public. But they happen all the time.

So, how is this Hillary's fault, Mike?:rolleyes:

The activities are likely more common that is reported. But the effort to squelch an internal investigation? It looks a bit unsavory, if true.

What, Bob? Is it all about Hillary with you?

Hey Mike! "The Troops" engage whores in foreign ports and around foreign and domestic bases all the time. And always have.

Do you want to bring the DoD down, now?

Dave

Oh, I'm certain they are. I'm certain a LOT of "activities" are far more common than the sheltered, or willfully blind, conservative mind realizes. Even among conservatives.:rolleyes:

Dave

Really? Wow! Who would'a think it!

I suspect, Dave, that the troops engage whores while on leave, or at the very least not while they're at their posts. Doesn't look like we can say the same for some state department folks.

I suspect if the troops " 'engaged in sexual assaults' with foreign nationals hired as embassy guards", they'd be brought up on charges, especially after those sexual harassment hearings on the Hill last week. Don't you think so, Dave? Why have internal investigations into that behavior by State Dept officials been squashed?

If the troops were found to have been engaged in a drug ring, they'd faces charges, right Dave?

Sheesh!

Don't be so sure about any of that.

Sometimes, even the military holds "dog and pony" shows and offers up scapegoats.

Dave

Doesn't look like the State Department is interested in that tactic. :rolleyes:

So, they're a little slow on the draw. The private sector does a much better job of these things. That's why privatized government functions "appear" to work so well, but end up being so expensive regardless.:p

Dave

No but it is what your masters of the universe in the Republican't party are all about, Mike. They simply can't help themselves.
I'm sure that some wingnut will be along shortly with an opinion that this is all Hillary's fault or indicative of her tenure as Secretary of State...:rolleyes:

Here ya go, Mike. see bolded and engorged.:rolleyes:

As endemic as this behavior is at State and the Secret Service, I can easily enough believe that Hillary (or one of her sycophants at State) chose to sweep this under the rug to ensure she stays clean enough for 2016. I've had some experience with State Department types and I wouldn't put anything past them, regardless of party or administration. Think about it - many ambassadorships, particularly to plum locations, are patronage positions to pay back big campaign contributors/supporters. What makes you think that folks high up in the dirty work of campaign funding don't enjoy hookers and blow?

It'll be interesting to see what happens when the shoe is on the other foot.

"What difference does it make?" :D

Whether or not the allegations are true (and I have no reason to believe they are not), what's the likelihood of a State Department run by a Clinton inside an Obama administration investigating a guy with the following attributes?

Gutman has long been active in Democratic politics, working on policy issues, speech writing, constituency work, legal representation, and media. He also has helped raise money for Democratic presidential, gubernatorial, and congressional candidates, including Al Gore’s presidential campaign in 2000. Gutman served on the legal team representing Gore in the Supreme Court case Bush v. Gore.

According to OpenSecrets.org, in 2008, Gutman was part of the Obama National Finance Committee and later a trustee on the Presidential Inauguration Committee. Gutman and his wife, Michelle Loewinger, have contributed at least $86,150 to Democratic candidates, parties and committees since 1989. Gutman contributed the legal maximum of $2300 to Bill Clinton’s presidential bid. Both he and his wife contributed the legal maximum of $4600 a piece to Obama’s presidential run. Gutman bundled at least half a million for Obama’s campaign committee and another $275,000 for his inauguration

Let change the optics here a bit. With regard to prostitution, who really gives a crap what two consenting adults engage in and how they pay each other for it?
I see it as more of the ugly puritanical bent that Americans love to engage in. It's no one's business but the parties involved.

Must be all of that Heinlein that I read as a young man.;)

I don't disagree. I've run into plenty of Americans overseas at all levels of government jobs who did what the Ambassador is accused of doing. Routinely.:cool:

More power to him. As long as he pays the piper.:rolleyes:

No one. Unless, of course, such activity is being engaged in while in the course of their "official" duties. Also, per the article, such behavior may constitute a security risk.

The Ambassador had a hooker under his desk while on the job? :rolleyes:

When you're overseas in such a position (particularly with a security clearance), the line between official duties and off-duty stuff isn't completely clear. That said, behavior such as that alleged about the ambassador isn't the least bit uncommon among Americans stationed overseas. Cavorting with hookers and/or smoking dope is quite common, even socially acceptable, in the Benelux countries and most of northern Europe. It ain't exactly the stuff of blackmail, though I suppose his wife would be less than pleased.