The U.S. Secret Service faced scrutiny after employees preparing for President Barack Obama’s visit to Cartagena, Colombia, were implicated in a prostitution scandal ahead of the Summit of the Americas. Eleven Secret Service personnel and about 10 military personnel were under investigation following allegations of heavy drinking, a visit to a strip club and payments to women. The incident became public after a dispute over payment at the Hotel Caribe on April 12 drew the attention of hotel staff and Colombian authorities.

The Secret Service recalled and replaced its 11 employees before Obama arrived. Three had been forced out or had agreed to leave, while eight remained suspended with their security clearances lifted. Lawmakers briefed on the investigation expected further dismissals. Investigators interviewed employees and hotel staff, and the military opened a separate inquiry. The White House said the president’s security was never compromised and expressed continued confidence in Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan while urging patience during the investigation.

Two experienced supervisors, David Chaney and Greg Stokes, were among those facing dismissal. Their involvement raised questions about leadership and whether the episode reflected a broader cultural problem in the agency. Their attorney, Lawrence Berger, said judgments about their roles were premature and maintained that their actions had not impaired the mission or the president’s visit.

The controversy widened when Chaney’s Facebook comments about protecting Sarah Palin during the 2008 presidential campaign came to light. Beneath a photograph of himself standing behind Palin, Chaney joked that he had been “checking her out.” Palin called the remarks embarrassing and criticized the administration’s management, responding, “You’re fired!” She also questioned the conduct of agents assigned to protect presidential families.

Members of Congress condemned the incident but differed over its implications. Some Republicans called for leadership changes or questioned Obama’s management, while Democrats urged an investigation and cautioned against judging the entire agency by the actions of those involved. The White House rejected efforts to make the scandal a political issue.