White House spokesman Jay Carney carefully tried to swat down questions today about whether White House’s employees joined the Secret Service’s servicing by Colombian prostitutes.
The White House has conducted a quick two-day review and “came to the conclusion that there is no indication that any member of the White House advance team engaged in improper conduct and behavior,” Carney told reporters at today’s White House press conference.
However, Carney didn’t formally deny any misconduct by White House officials. He only declared “that there is no indication” of misconduct.
“There are no, to my knowledge … any credible allegations” of misconduct, he added.
“There have been rumors published on the Internet by people with no editors and no conscience,” he declared. “If someone comes to us with credible allegations … I’m sure we will look at it.”
Carney declined to describe the scale of the review, and declined to say if the review would be shared with people outside the White House.
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley has already asked White House officials if White House employees took part in the misconduct, which included the hiring of Colombian prostitutes.
Secret Service agents, soldiers and White House employees were part of the delegation which supported the president and and his deputies at the April 14 and 15 Summit of the Americas.
The “advance team” consists of White House employees who fly out before the president to make sure the president’s events are carefully choreographed and presented.
The review of the advance team’s conduct was launched by the White House’s own lawyers in the counsel’s office. The decision to launch the review was made in cooperation with Obama’s chief of staff, Jack Lew.
Carney repeatedly emphasized that the Secret Service agents, and the military’s communications team, are not hired by the White House.
“The Secret Service is investigating specific allegations of misconduct by [members of] the Secret Service, the Defense Department is investigating specific allegations of misconduct. … There have been no specific credible allegations of misconduct by the White House advance team or staff.”