Hotel dispute started confrontation that sent home Secret Service agents for misconduct involving prostitution
[FoxNews.com]
April 14, 2012
By Kimberly Schwandt
Contribution: Chad Pergram and Ed Henry
Cartagena, COLOMBIA – A dispute in a hotel about paying for an extra “guest,” possibly a prostitute, started a confrontation that ultimately led to sending home at least a dozen Secret Service agents covering detail of President Obama’s trip in Colombia, a senior law enforcement official tells Fox News’ Ed Henry.
New details are emerging about the incident at the Hotel Caribe, where the Secret Service advance team was staying ahead of Obama’s three-day visit to the country.
A senior law enforcement official said the dispute started when hotel employees witnessed inappropriate behavior.
An employee approached at least one Secret Service agent and demanding that he pay extra money for having an additional overnight guest in his room.
The agent balked, which eventually resulted in a confrontation and forced diplomatic intervention.
Obama paid lower tax rate than secretary
[FoxNews.com]
Published April 13, 2012 – by Ed Henry
Posted CWN: April 14, 2012
President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama had a combined income of $789,674 in 2011 but paid a lower tax rate than the president’s secretary, who made less than $100,000, the White House confirmed Friday.
The Obamas paid an effective rate of 20.5 percent. White House aides would not reveal presidential secretary Anita Breckenridge’s tax rate but confirmed it was higher than the first family’s rate. Breckenridge earned $95,000 last year.
The Obamas’ rate is less than the 30 percent the president wants millionaires to pay under his proposed Buffett Rule.
“The president’s secretary pays a slightly higher rate … than the president on her substantially lower income, which is exactly why we need to reform our tax code and ask the wealthiest to pay their fair share,” White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage told Fox News.
The release Friday of the tax returns for the president and the family of Vice President Joe Biden came on the same day in which the Obama campaign in Chicago attacked likely GOP-presidential nominee Mitt Romney for, so far, releasing only his most recent tax returns.
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