Eric Holder Tells DOJ Employees: No More Prostitutes

The Washington Post has published a memo sent from Attorney General Eric Holder reminding all Justice Department employees not to solicit prostitutes, even if the practice is legal where they may be inclined to do so.

The full letter, signed by Holder, reads:

The Department of Justice is measured by the conduct of those who work on its behalf. The solicitation of prostitution threatens the core mission of the Department, not simply because it invites extortion, blackmail, and leaks of sensitive or classified information, but also because it undermines the Department’s efforts to eradicate the scourge of human trafficking. Regardless of whether prostitution is legal or tolerated in a particular jurisdiction, soliciting prostitutes creates a greater demand for human trafficking victims and a consequent increase in the number of minor and adult persons trafficked into commercial sex slavery.

For these reasons, I want to reiterate to all Department personnel, including attorneys and law enforcement officers, that they are prohibited from soliciting, procuring, or accepting commercial sex. This rule applies at all times during an individual’ s employment, including while off duty or on personal leave, and applies regardless of whether the activity is legal or tolerated in a particular jurisdiction, foreign or domestic.

Department employees who violate these prohibitions will be subject to suspension or termination. Supervisors and managers are subject to discipline for failing to report suspected violations. Suspected violations by Department employees must be immediately reported to the internal affairs personnel of the relevant component’s headquarters (or, for those without an internal affairs department, an equivalent entity). Allegations determined to be non-frivolous also must be reported to the component’s security personnel. The Department also expects adherence to these standards by its contractors and sub-contractors, grant recipients and subgrant recipients, and cooperative agreement holders, who are subject to all remedies available by statute and regulation when such standards are not met.