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Watchdog confirms Secret Service director’s changing story

In this photo taken Oct. 5, 2015, U.S. Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy speaks in Washington. The Homeland Security Department's internal watchdog says Clancy knew earlier than he originally stated about a rumor that agents were digging up dirt on a congressman who had been critical of the agency. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
In this photo taken Oct. 5, 2015, U.S. Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy speaks in Washington. The Homeland Security Department's internal watchdog says Clancy knew earlier than he originally stated about a rumor that agents were digging up dirt on a congressman who had been critical of the agency. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

By Associated Press 2 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – First, Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy told federal watchdog investigators that he heard a rumor on April 1 about a congressman’s failed attempt years earlier to work at the agency.

Then, before the watchdog published a report about agents improperly accessing the personnel file of Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Clancy remembered he actually heard an unsubstantiated rumor about this a week earlier.

Now, the Homeland Security Department’s inspector general has confirmed that Clancy not only knew about the rumor as early as March 25, he also learned the information from at least three sources.

The director’s changing story about what he knew and when is the latest blemish on an agency beset with embarrassing scandals.

An agent in Washington first looked up Chaffetz’s 2003 failed job application 18 minutes after the Utah Republican convened a hearing in March about an allegation of a drunken incident near the White House involving two senior agents. Some agents forwarded the information to others. At least 45 employees viewed the file. The inspector general has said that the actions could represent criminal violations under the U.S. Privacy Act.