[url]http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/18/secret-service-refutes-report-claiming-agency-stretched/[/URL]
The U.S. Secret Service pushed back against a report Sunday suggesting the agency may be spread too thin as it faces a greater range of potential threats against the nation's leaders.
A report from the Boston Globe published Sunday questions the agency's ability to protect political figures and investigate financial crimes -- its two main missions -- as it handles an unprecedented number of threats against President Obama.
The newspaper referenced an internal report issued in August by the Congressional Research Service that reportedly said, "If there were an evaluation of the service's two missions, it might be determined that it is ineffective ... to conduct its protection mission and investigate financial crimes."
And budget documents sent to Congress this year claim the agency lacks the necessary technology to handle with a growing number of threats, the newspaper reported.
But an agency spokesman refuted the newspaper's report, telling FOX News it is "not accurate and lacks a good deal of information provided to the writer."
"In the longest and most expensive campaign in history, the Secret Service has proven it can maintain its dual mission of both protecting individuals and conducting criminal investigations," the spokesman said. "The Secret Service had asset forfeitures totaling $140 million and investigated the largest data breach in history. There were also zero arrests at the largest inauguration ever."
Sources close to the Secret Service told FOX News there was a spike in threats against Obama immediately following the election, but said those numbers are now within the range of threats leveled at former presidents, like George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
The U.S. Secret Service pushed back against a report Sunday suggesting the agency may be spread too thin as it faces a greater range of potential threats against the nation's leaders.
A report from the Boston Globe published Sunday questions the agency's ability to protect political figures and investigate financial crimes -- its two main missions -- as it handles an unprecedented number of threats against President Obama.
The newspaper referenced an internal report issued in August by the Congressional Research Service that reportedly said, "If there were an evaluation of the service's two missions, it might be determined that it is ineffective ... to conduct its protection mission and investigate financial crimes."
And budget documents sent to Congress this year claim the agency lacks the necessary technology to handle with a growing number of threats, the newspaper reported.
But an agency spokesman refuted the newspaper's report, telling FOX News it is "not accurate and lacks a good deal of information provided to the writer."
"In the longest and most expensive campaign in history, the Secret Service has proven it can maintain its dual mission of both protecting individuals and conducting criminal investigations," the spokesman said. "The Secret Service had asset forfeitures totaling $140 million and investigated the largest data breach in history. There were also zero arrests at the largest inauguration ever."
Sources close to the Secret Service told FOX News there was a spike in threats against Obama immediately following the election, but said those numbers are now within the range of threats leveled at former presidents, like George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
