Obama awaits report on secret service scandal

US President Barack Obama says he will be furious if allegations that Secret Service agents hired sex workers while on a visit to Columbia prove to be true.

Obama said the agents represent the US and are supposed to conduct themselves with the highest levels of dignity.

“Obviously, what’s been reported doesn’t match up to those standards,” Obama said at a news conference to wrap up his appearance at a Latin America summit.

The president never directly mentioned the specific accusations, which have been confirmed by media outlets, that agents were cavorting with prostitutes before Obama arrived in Colombia.

The Secret Service has sent 11 agents home and placed

them on leave for misconduct as the agency reviews what

happened.

“I expect that investigation to be thorough, and I expect it to be rigorous,” Obama said. “If it turns out that some of the allegations made in the press are confirmed, then of course I’ll be angry.

“We are representing the people of the United States and when we travel to another country, I expect us to observe the highest standards.”

But he said he would reserve judgment until the investigation was done. Five US military service members were also alleged to have been involved in the incident. None of the Secret Service agents at the centre of the allegations were assigned to directly protect Obama.

Darrell Issa, chairman of a House investigative panel, said that lawmakers will be looking “over the shoulder” of the Secret Service to make sure the agency’s methods for training and screening agents aren’t endangering the nation’s VIPs.