Massachusetts, Aug 13: The Secret Service is facing allegations of misconduct after a Massachusetts salon owner claimed that agents broke into her business to use the bathroom while securing a nearby Kamala Harris fundraiser. Surveillance footage reportedly shows a Secret Service officer covering a camera outside the salon with tape.
Alicia Powers, owner of Four One Three Salon in Pittsfield, said that on July 27, individuals identified as Secret Service agents and other personnel entered her salon without permission. Powers reported that several people, including those in emergency medical and law-enforcement uniforms, used the bathroom and left the premises in disarray. She also noted that the salon was left unlocked and the tape on the camera was not removed.
The Secret Service has responded by acknowledging that an officer did indeed cover the camera but denied any wrongdoing regarding the break-in. Melissa McKenzie, a spokesperson for the Secret Service, stated, “Our personnel would not enter, or instruct our partners to enter, a business without the owner’s permission.” McKenzie emphasized that the agency values its relationships with local businesses and has since apologized to Powers.
The incident occurred just before Vice President Kamala Harris’s major fundraiser, which was held at the nearby Colonial Theatre. Powers had closed her salon for the day due to security preparations for the event. Despite her understanding of the need for heightened security, Powers was upset by the lack of courtesy and communication from the Secret Service.
In the wake of this incident, which has drawn significant criticism, particularly after a recent assassination attempt on Donald Trump that led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, the agency is under scrutiny for its security practices and interactions with the public.