A Secret Service agent has been placed on administrative leave amid an investigation into allegedly lewd texts sent to a woman following an event with first lady Michelle Obama.
The agency confirmed the investigation of the unnamed agent following a report in the National Enquirer that he sent the texts to a “prominent Washington, D.C., staffer” he met during a May 20 event co-hosted by Obama and Elizabeth Dole for veteran caregivers.
According to the tabloid, he sent her a text offering oral sex, as well as a lewd photograph of himself.
“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of these allegations,” the agency said in a written statement on Wednesday. “At this time, the individual has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.”
The Secret Service said the Department of Homeland Security inspector general’s office will jointly investigate with an internal Secret Service office, “as is our policy with any allegation of misconduct.”
While the Enquirer said the agent was assigned to the first lady’s detail, a federal official told FoxNews.com this was not the case.
“The guy’s not on the first lady’s detail,” the official said, explaining the agent was posted “outside the perimeter” in an “outer-ring security post” during the event.
Further, the official clarified that the phone communications between him and the woman happened while he was off-duty, “approximately nine hours after the completion of the event.”
While the matter is under investigation, the official said others reported the agent was “on his game” during the event itself.
The Secret Service has dealt with a string of conduct and security issues over the last several years, from the Colombia prostitution scandal in 2012 to last year’s incident where a fence-jumper made it through several rings of security and into the White House.
