Obama expects Secret Service probe

President Obama has “absolute confidence” that the leadership of the Secret Service will address new allegations of sexual misconduct by agents and managers, the White House said Friday. [WATCH VIDEO]

“The president is confident they will be fully investigated and that action, where appropriate, will be taken,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said.

{mosads}The White House spokesman said Obama believed recently confirmed agency director Julia Pierson would “address matters as they arise appropriately,” and that the “vast majority of the men and women who work for the Secret Service exemplify” professionalism.

“They put their lives on the line to protect the commander in chief … and that’s a very weighty responsibility,” Carney said.

In a report published Thursday by The Washington Post, whistle-blowers recounted instances of sexual misconduct across 17 countries by Secret Service employees. The misbehavior included hiring prostitutes, engaging in extramarital affairs, visiting brothels, sending sexually explicit emails to co-workers and having sexual relationships with foreign nationals, according to the paper.

In addition, the Post reported, the man tasked with leading the agency’s investigation into the April 2012 prostitution scandal in Cartagena was removed from his detail protecting the president after he left ammunition in the hotel room of a woman he met at a bar near the White House.

House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) told ABC the president had been left at risk.

“In this case, Secret Service has information about the president’s closest security details,” McCaul said. “That kind of information, if compromised, can be lethal to the presidency.”