A House Oversight Committee hearing exploded today in the wake of accusations that Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents engaged in “sex parties” that involved prostitutes hired by drug cartels in Columbia.
DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart found herself in the hot seat during today’s hearing, receiving harsh criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike.
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), he top Democrat on the committee, called the sex scandal “deplorable,” stating “The inspector general’s report details conduct that is deplorable for anyone, let alone law enforcement officials serving the United States of America,” at the hearing.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) told Leonhart: “So these agents compromised our national security and then essentially got a vacation. The punishment for this was two to 10 days off paid leave.”
- On March 26, 2015, the Depart of Justice’s Office of Inspector General (DOJ OIG) released a report titled, “The Handling of Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Allegations by the Department’s Law Enforcement Components.”
- The DOJ OIG found systemic issues with the handling of sexual misconduct allegations, including allegations not being reported to headquarters, and disciplinary actions that did not adequately address the solicitation of prostitutes in jurisdictions where the conduct is legal or tolerated.
- Among other things, the report described allegations that Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents engaged in “sex parties” that involved prostitutes hired by drug cartels in Columbia.
- After the DOJ OIG released its report, Attorney General Eric Holder issued a memo to DOJ personnel stating that employees are “prohibited from soliciting, procuring, or accepting commercial sex.”
- Due to a lack of cooperation from the DEA and FBI, the DOJ OIG also noted that relevant information was difficult to obtain during their investigation.
You can watch a clip showing some of the highlights of the explosive hearing, below, followed by a video of the full hearing.
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