Rep. Gary Palmer blasts DEA chief over allegations of drug-funded sex parties with prostitutes

Rep. Gary Palmer said testimony during a House Oversight Committee reflects a lack of accountability at the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, as a new report details allegations of agents attending overseas sex parties paid for by drug cartels.

Palmer, a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said the allegations of sexual misconduct and bureaucratic unaccountability raise "deep concerns" over the actions of the agents and the reaction of DEA officials.

"The hearings today demonstrate that there are serious issues with the culture at the DEA and equally serious problems concerning accountability," Palmer said.

A summary of the DEA report released as part of the hearing showed DEA agents were taking part in sex parties with Columbian prostitutes as early as 2001. The parties, allegedly funded by drug cartels, were held on government-leased property and with taxpayer money that was used to pay for the prostitutes. A separate report showed additional incidents of such parties between 2005 and 2008.

Other allegations included lack of control over DEA communications devices and involvement of foreign prostitutes.

Agents who attended the parties were suspended between seven and 10 days. DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart told committee members civil service rules prevented her from firing the employees. Leonhart's actions since taking over the DEA in 2010 were inexcusable, Palmer said.

"The DEA Administrator claimed she lacked authority to fire or even seriously discipline agents who had conducted themselves in deplorable ways, such as soliciting underage prostitutes. Further, she admitted there was no policy that required a DEA agent to keep weapons or devices with sensitive information out of control of foreign nationals. Clearly, there needs to be more accountability in the agency," he said.

You can see Palmer's exchange below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt5pBOtn0-w