The U.S. Secret Service faced growing scrutiny after 11 of its employees were implicated in a prostitution scandal in Cartagena, Colombia, ahead of President Barack Obama’s visit to the Summit of the Americas. Investigators were examining allegations of heavy drinking, visits to a strip club and payments to prostitutes. About 10 military personnel were also under investigation.

The incident became public after a dispute over payment between a Secret Service employee and a woman at the Hotel Caribe on April 12 drew the attention of hotel staff and Colombian authorities. The Secret Service recalled and replaced its personnel before Obama arrived. The White House said the president’s security was never compromised and urged patience while investigations continued.

Three Secret Service employees had been forced out or resigned, including two supervisors, David Chaney and Greg Stokes. Eight others remained suspended, and their security clearances had been lifted. Lawmakers briefed on the investigation predicted more dismissals. Investigators interviewed agency employees and hotel staff, while military officials sent personnel to Colombia to conduct a separate inquiry.

The involvement of senior supervisors raised questions about accountability and conduct within the agency. Chaney, who retired under pressure, had supervised support for the Secret Service’s foreign offices. Stokes, who had been notified of his proposed dismissal and could contest it, held a senior role in the K-9 division. Their attorney, Lawrence Berger, said it was premature to judge their roles and maintained that their reported conduct did not compromise their mission.

Attention also turned to Chaney’s Facebook posts about his earlier protective work. Commenting on a photograph of himself behind Sarah Palin during her 2008 vice presidential campaign, he joked that he had been “checking her out.” Palin called the comment embarrassing and criticized the scandal as evidence of poor government management. The comment was made during the George W. Bush administration.

The White House expressed confidence in Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan. Members of Congress condemned the conduct, though they differed over its wider implications: some Republicans called for leadership changes or questioned Obama’s management, while Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi urged an investigation and cautioned against judging the entire agency by the actions of those involved.