Secret Service scandal: new allegations surface

>>> good evening. i'm savannah guthrie in tonight for brian. from the moment word broke about misconduct by secret service agents advancing the president's trip to colombia. some wondered whether it was a one-time incident or part of a larger cultural problem. now, the homeland security secretary said she believed it was an isolated incident. tonight, they're investigating another isolated incident. it's an allegation only, not yet verified, but it growed to the adding headache. kristen welker has the story.

>> the white house says despietd the new allegations, the president continues to believe the majority of secret service and military personnel behaved responsibly and professionally. the nagging questions persist in the wake of the cartagena prostitution scandal . lawmakers and the obama administration acknowledge today investigators are looking into new allegations of misconduct by secret service and u.s. military personnel.

>> i know the allegations first broke about two days ago and the secret service is on it immediately.

>> according to a television station in seattle, the reported misconduct occurred just before the president's 2011 trip to el salvad salvador. they quote a man who said he joined secret service and military agent at a san salvador strip club . the secret service said it takes issue with some of the report's basic facts but will assess and follow up in a appropriate manner. representative peter king said he was briefed by the agency.

>> they have gone through the reports and there's no indication that anything occurred on the trip based on the official records . obviously, they're going to talk to the reporters, talk to anyone involv involved.

>> the pentagon declined comment. jay carney skirted most of the questions.

>> you're talking about a rumor in a newspaper that as far as i know is not confirmed. i would refer you to the secret service .

>> on tuesday, defense secretary leon punetty traveling in bazille was asked by reporters about an incident last year in which three marines and an embassy staffer were accused of pushing a prostitute out of a car.

>> they were reduced in rank and severely punished for that dehave. .

>> janet napolitano said she believed the cartagena incident was isolated.

>> over the past two and a half years, the secret service office of professional responsibility has not received any such complaint.

>> now, all of this made for a rather awkward briefing at the state department where a lot of employees took advantage of bring your kids to work day after introducing the young guests, spokes woman victoriaue newland was peppered with questions about the prostitution scandal . after trying to keep it g-rated, she said, parents, you can explain all this later. savannah.

>> kristen welker at the white house tonight. thank you wroorb.