And then there were eight: The Secret Service has confirmed that three of the 11 members involved in the prostitution scandal in Colombia are out of the agency. One was allowed to retire, a second was removed "for cause," and the third resigned. The remaining eight employees are still on administrative leave with suspended security clearances. Paul Morrissey, the Secret Service's assistant director, said the ongoing investigation includes polygraph tests, interviews with the 11 individuals and witness interviews.

Earlier in the day, Mitt Romney jumped into the fray, suggesting to radio host Laura Ingraham that a lack of leadership led to the incident. "I'd clean house," Romney said. "The right thing to do is to remove people who have violated the public trust and have put their play time and their personal interests ahead of the interests of the nation."

Meanwhile, one of the escorts involved in the scandal spoke to the New York Times for an interview published today. Among her revelations: "They never told me they were with Obama," she said. "They were very discreet." Also: "An escort is someone who a man can take out to dinner. She can dress nicely, wear nice makeup, speak and act like a lady. That's me."

[businessinsider / sfgate]