African-American agents file discrimination complaint against Secret Service

Reginald 'Ray' Moore says he was passed over for promotion because he is African-American

February 24, 2000
Web posted at: 10:21 p.m. EST (0321 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Secret Service discriminates against African-Americans in hiring, evaluating, training and promoting, according to a complaint filed Thursday by two black agents.

Reginald Moore and another Secret Service agent have filed an equal opportunity complaint charging discrimination, seeking monetary damages and equality in promotions.

Moore has served on details protecting President Clinton, and as a senior agent, led the security planning for Clinton's trip to the funeral of Jordan's King Hussein.

MESSAGE BOARD The state of race relations     ALSO Analysis: The Secret Service's dirty little secret?

But when the time came for promotion, Moore said he was passed over because he is an African-American.

"I came into the office thinking I had a promotion. I went to see one of the bosses and he had his head down. He said, 'Ray you should have been promoted, that was your job to have,'" Moore recalled.

Cockell, left, says he's in no way associated with the complaint

That job, Moore said, was given to a white man whom Moore had to train before being transferred to the Dallas field office.

The lawyer representing Moore said neither President Clinton nor Vice President Al Gore were involved in the alleged discrimination. But the attorney is calling on President Clinton to help his clients.

"What we're saying is, pay back these men who are prepared to take a bullet for you," said attorney John Relman . "The least you could do, if they're willing to put their life on the line, is get involved, fix this problem."

The White House refused to comment because the matter is being litigated.

The Secret Service says "... it takes seriously, allegations of racial discrimination and has actively engaged in assuring a diverse work environment."

About 200 of the agency's 2,500-member force are black.

A Secret Service spokesman said two of the highest-ranking assistant directors in the agency are African-American, and seven of 11 field offices are headed by minorities, including four African-Americans.

Conspicuously absent from the complaint is Larry Cockell, the lead agent called to testify in the Monica Lewinsky investigation. Cockell says he is not associated with the complaint.

The attorneys say they hope to expand the complaint into a class-action filing that will include most African-American Secret Service agents.

"I wonder why I can't break through," said Yvette Summerour, now a member of the president's protective detail, and who has also helped guard first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton. "I always get near the top, and then I can't get anywhere else."

The agency's equal opportunity office will make the initial assessment of the complaint. Elements of it could eventually be considered by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and a federal lawsuit could be filed if the complaints are not first by negotiation or administrative action.

Correspondent Carl Rochelle and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Secret Service studying 'motives and behavior' behind school violence
June 21, 1999
New director for Secret Service
March 4, 1999
Secret Service aided license photo database
February 18, 1999
White House loses on privilege, Secret Service testimony
November 9, 1998
The Bodyguards: Shadows And Shield
July 27, 1998

United States Secret Service
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Home Page
EEOC: Facts About Employment Discrimination

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.