Affairs of State

Is there no part of Government that is not having a scandal these days? From Ed Morrissey, writing at Hot Air:

State Department: Quash an investigation? Who -- us?
Yesterday, CBS News published documents that showed the State Department had quashed or obstructed Inspector General investigations into serious wrongdoing by high-ranking officials, including one Ambassador who ditched his security team to importune prostitutes in public parks. Today, that story gets more sordid in NBC's follow-up, which shows that investigators suspected the same Ambassador of targeting minor children Meanwhile, the State Department calls allegations of obstruction and interference "preposterous":

The ambassador who came under investigation "routinely ditched his protective security detail in order to solicit sexual favors from both prostitutes and minor children," according to documents obtained by NBC News.

This ambassador got recalled to Washington for a meeting with Patrick Kennedy, Hillary Clinton's right-hand man at Foggy Bottom. Instead of getting relieved and investigated, CBS reported yesterday that the man was "permitted to return to his post." Did Kennedy make that decision? Or did Hillary Clinton?

Much more at the site including this little gem:

A DS agent was called off a case against US Ambassador to Belgium Howard Gutman over claims that he solicited prostitutes, including minors.

"The agent began his investigation and had determined that the ambassador routinely ditched his protective security detail in order to solicit sexual favors from both prostitutes and minor children," says the memo.

"The ambassador's protective detail and the embassy's surveillance detection team . . . were well aware of the behavior."

Gutman was a big bundler for Obama in 2008, raising over $500,000 for his campaign and cutting checks for the inaugural. That may not be terribly unusual for ambassadors in any administration, but the bizarre decision to keep Gutman in place certainly suggests a possible connection between his donations and State's decision to cut off the investigation.

Don't touch our people but throw the book at their people. The Chicago Way. It is really time to get some adults in the room...