An aide to Vice President Kamala Harris accused a Secret Service agent of sexual assault in an incident tied to alcohol consumption while traveling in Wisconsin, according to a new report.
A female Harris staffer alleged that during a trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to plan the vice president’s visit to the city, the agent groped a Harris campaign staff member in front of others while in a private hotel room, according to RealClearPolitics.
The accused agent, who has not been named, and the unnamed staffer went to dinner with colleagues at a local restaurant after concluding work. The group consumed alcohol at the dinner, though it was not immediately clear how much was consumed or by whom.
The group returned to a Harris staffer’s hotel room, at which point the agent allegedly forced himself on the staffer and touched her inappropriately in front of the rest of their colleagues.
A source who spoke with the outlet said the agent was kicked out of the room by his own coworkers and that he was so drunk he passed out in the hallway.
A spokesperson for Harris said the incident was reported to senior Secret Service officials.
“The Office of the Vice President takes the safety of staff seriously,” the spokesperson said in a statement to the outlet. “We have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct. Senior OVP officials were alerted by the USSS about an incident involving an agent and informed that USSS initiated an investigation. The Office of the Vice President will not be releasing further information.”
The agent in question was immediately called to the agency’s federal headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Monday to meet with internal investigators.
The agency confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Wednesday afternoon that it had launched an investigation when questioned about the matter.
“The U.S. Secret Service Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating a misconduct allegation involving an employee,” a Secret Service spokesman wrote in an email. “The Secret Service holds its personnel to the highest standards. The employee has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.”
The agent could face criminal charges if the incident is determined to be sexual assault. In addition, the agent’s actions will be evaluated against the agency’s protocols for on-duty and off-duty behavior.
Secret Service agents are not allowed to consume alcohol within 10 hours of reporting for duty.
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The agency is already under a microscope for the two assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump since July.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill will hold a major hearing Thursday to review how the Secret Service handled both incidents, as well as how it can ensure Trump’s protection going forward.