Collins presses White House to clear up questions on prostitution scandal

Sen. Susan Collins is asking the White House for more information about the Colombia prostitution scandal after the lead federal investigator said White House personnel may have been involved. 

In a letter sent to the White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler on Friday, the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee wrote: 

"While the (Secret Service), Department of Defense, Department of Justice, and Drug Enforcement Agency have all investigated the actions of their personnel in Cartagena and made the results of those investigations available to the Committee, to date the Administration has not explained the apparent inconsistency between its investigation and the findings of the DHS OIG." 

Collins was referencing a Sept. 22 letter to Collins' committee from Department of Homeland Security Acting Inspector General Charles Edwards. He wrote that his office's investigation found "a hotel registry that suggests that two (non-Secret Service) personnel may have had contact with foreign nationals." 

One of those employees, Edwards wrote, was a Defense Department employee "affiliated" with the White House Communication Agency. 

The other, he said, "may have been" affiliated with the White House advance team. The White House, though, denied wrongdoing on the part of that team member. 

The letter came two days after a FoxNews.com report revealed possible White House advance team involvement. 

In the letter sent to White House counsel on Friday, Collins quoted the IG's letter, saying: "These findings appear at odds with a statement made on April 23 by the White House spokesman." 

Collins was referencing Press Secretary Jay Carney's claim at the time that there were "no specific, credible allegations of misconduct" and that a review "came to the conclusion that there's no indication that any member of the White House advance team engaged in any improper conduct or behavior." 

Collins is now asking: 

"At the time of the incidents, what positions did these two individuals occupy on the White House or White House-affiliated staffs (including but not limited to the advance team or the White House Communications Agency, and including paid or volunteer positions)?" 

Additional questions directed to White House counsel include details on these two individuals' job duties, what office they were working for on the Cartagena trip and the names of their supervisors. 

Collins also asked for descriptions of the incidents they were allegedly involved in, and the findings and outcome of any investigation into those incidents. 

Collins asked for a response from the White House by Oct. 9. 

In response to the inspector general's letter to Collins on Sept. 22, the White House said the person mentioned as a possible member of the White House advance team was an unpaid volunteer who was not on the White House staff. An administration official also said the volunteer was wrongly implicated based on inaccurate hotel records. 

Contact Jana Winter at jana.winter@foxnews.com 

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Metal Gear Solid Movie: Our Dream Cast

The Internet’s been abuzz with theories since the recent announcement of a Metal Gear movie, produced by comic book movie veteran Avi Arad and distributed by Colombia Pictures. While the reveal at Metal Gear Solid’s 25th Anniversary was delivered with infectious enthusiasm, it quickly became apparent nobody had actually signed on to the thing yet, leaving a giant gaping chasm to fill with delicious speculation.

As we have no idea which part of Metal Gear’s 25 years worth of narrative the filmmakers will eventually focus on, we’ve decided to assemble a dream cast based on the characters from the 1998 original, as per the case made in our recent article. There was a narrative elegance to the original Metal Gear Solid – it was, after all, still free from the complexity woven into its sequels - and the story serves as a great entry point for newcomers to the franchise, introducing many of its now-iconic characters.

This is a hypothetical list based on who we think would best fit hypothetical roles, and in no way are these celebrities attached - or rumored to be attached - to the project.

But we can always dream.

The Headliners

Solid Snake

The eponymous Solid Snake is a challenging role. Go too gruff and you descend into caricature, play it too light and you go against his fundamental character. Snake needs to be physically imposing with a hard-bitten attitude, but tempered with easy humor and an obstinate belief in human virtue. We’ve already made some choices on who should fill the role – including Snake voice actor David Hayter (who would also be a great fit as screenwriter), Sean Bean and Liam Neeson – but there are a handful of other talented actors who could potentially carry its weight.

Viggo Mortensen

Mortensen has the right amount of ‘silent-but-righteous’ gravitas to play Snake, and his leading man creds have been established with his recent collaborations with director David Cronenberg.  Further, his brutal nude fight scene in Eastern Promises proves he can brawl with the best of them.

Hugh Jackman

Jackman is a more clean-cut choice, yet his interpretation of Wolverine is one mutton chop away from Snake: tough, brooding, with a heart-of-gold buried under a thick layer of attitude. Jackman has shown time again that he can play the tough guy while retaining an irrefutable likeability, and rumor is he’s Kojima’s pick too, which really pushes him ahead of the pack.

Russell Crowe

Crowe has been traditionally viewed by public and press as somewhat unorthodox, both as celebrity and actor. His offscreen antics have seen him labelled a larrikin; while onscreen he’s played a number of flawed or tragic heroes to outstanding effect.  The entire package suggests a devil-may-care attitude that’s a good fit for Snake.

Final verdict

1: Hugh Jackman

2: Russell Crowe

3: Viggo Mortenson

Honorable mentions : Sean Bean, David Hayter, Liam Neeson, Josh Holloway

Liquid Snake

The evil yin to Snake’s honorable yang, Liquid has a slippery charm befitting his name; the perfect counter to his twin brother’s immovable moral compass. A classic villain, Liquid is living in the shadow of the superior hero, and his obsessive jealousy manifests itself as loud-mouthed arrogance.  He is verbose, yet sly, powerfully intelligent and highly motivated.

Michael Fassbender

There’s no denying Fassbender can do charm, and his turn as Magneto in X-Men: First Class proves he’s got the chops to take on an iconic villain. His multi-layered turn as David in Prometheus showcases his ability to play cold detachment and obsessive jealousy (in that instance, jealousy of the human race), traits shared by Liquid.

Ralph Fiennes

Liquid Snake is a showman, and coupled with his genius intellect it isn’t hard to imagine him chewing up the scenery on the Shakespearean stage. Why not, then, cast a Shakespearean actor in the role? Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes knows his shades of evil, from Amon Goeth to Voldemort. There’s something about that tragic gaze, too, that befits Liquid’s angry turmoil.

Hugh Jackman

Regardless of his natural gravitation towards the squeaky-clean, we’d be willing to see Jackman give a double-role a shot. If he can switch out musical theater for brooding superhero, surely the next obvious step would be to the wickedly sinister? He’s tried at bad guys before – in Deception, Scoop, and to a degree, Real Steel – but his hard-wired charm tends to temper their villainy. It’d be fascinating to see if he could rise to the occasion.

Final verdict

1: Ralph Fiennes

2: Hugh Jackman

3: Michael Fassbender

Honorable Mentions: Guy Pearce, Colin Farrell, Tom Hiddleston, Alan Tudyk

Hal Emmerich, aka Otacon

The character of Otacon has evolved over the series, but his goofy awkwardness remains a constant. He is, after all, a massive nerd, whose party trick in the original game seems to be the uncanny ability to pee his pants when under threat. The actor playing Otacon must be likeable, possessive of a nervous energy and above all, have great chemistry with his platonic-life-partner.

Cillian Murphy

Irish actor Cillian Murphy certainly has Otacon’s delicate, well-mothered features, and although not known for comedy, he’s a transformative actor whose roles have ranged from transgender escort to IRA member. There’s surely room for a sojourn.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

He may look a little young (he’s not really, at 31), but Gordon-Levitt would undoubtedly bring the requisite warm humanity. The actor is a dab hand at comedy, too – look to last year’s Hesher for proof – not to mention he’s one of Hollywood’s hottest properties right now, and would likely bring in scores of fans who wouldn’t usually be interested in a video game adaptation.

John Cusack

It’s difficult to think of a more suitable actor for Otacon than John Cusack. He’s an actor drawn to irreverence, having played the nerdish, skittish loser on a number of occasions – not least, his bitter puppeteer in Being John Malchovich. But Cusack’s neuroses are charming; more frustrated passion than straight self-pity. As a likeable kook, he really can’t be beaten.

Final verdict

1: John Cusack

2: Joseph Gordon-Levitt

3: Cillian Murphy

Honorable Mentions: Alessandro Nivola, Sam Rockwell, Masi Oka

Meryl Silverburgh

Metal Gear Solid-era Meryl is an impassioned idealist. She’s quick to act tough and known for her ‘smart mouth’, but underneath she’s sweetly naive, enamored with the heroes of the past. The actress who takes on Meryl must be, vitally, young (she’s aged 18 in the original game, and it shows) but able to express herself with eloquence beyond her years.

Emma Stone

When trying to describe the appeal of Emma Stone (beyond the obvious), realness is perhaps the only fitting word. Her acting style comes across as very unguarded – helped by that adorably dorky laugh – which makes her an extremely accessible actress. This, coupled with that auburn hair? Meryl.

Alia Shawkat

If her name is unfamiliar, two words: Arrested Development. As Maeby Funke in the beloved sitcom, Shawcat maintains an adorable, tomboyish charm while delivering jibes with one of the most acid-laced tongues in the biz. She’d bring a great edge to Meryl.

Jennifer Lawrence

The Hunger Games and X-Men: First Class hot property Jennifer Lawrence has definitely got the right spirit for Meryl - her acting work aside, check out this interview on David Letterman – and she’s proven she can cut it on a cinematic battlefield. Plus, Lawrence is a draw-card for the mainstream crowd.

Final verdict

1: Emma Stone

2: Jennifer Lawrence

3: Alia Shawkat

Honorable Mentions: Elizabeth Banks, Kristen Bell, Keri Russell

Revolver Ocelot

The power-hungry, twisted gun-slinging showman of Metal Gear Solid cries out to be played by an actor with an air of danger or wildness about him. Ocelot should be an imposing figure – it’s the original game, of course, where he famously tortures Snake – yet be able to deliver playful quips like ‘There's nothing like the feeling of slamming a long silver bullet into a well greased chamber’ and maintain that gruff gravitas.

Gary Oldman

If 1992’s Dracula, 1991’s JFK, 1994’s Leon and 1997’s Air Force One taught us anything, it’s that Gary Oldman can do sinister really, really well. Commonly regarded as one of Hollywood’s most prominent chameleons, the actor could certainly step up to the role - although after his recent ‘good guy’ roles as Harry Potter’s Sirius Black and Batman’s Commissioner Gordan, he may not be so eager to return to the dark side.

Kris Kristofferson

If the name doesn’t immediately conjure up images from Blade, do a quick Google image search of Mr. Kristofferson. He’s a dead ringer for the gunslinger with his long white hair, heavy mustache and tall forehead, and his gravelly voice and outspoken off-screen attitude are cherries on top.

Daniel Day-Lewis

It was, perhaps, Day-Lewis’ facial hair in 2008’s There Will Be Blood that drew the initial comparisons to Ocelot, but we think the reclusive method actor would also brilliantly inhabit the character, as is his intoxicating trend. He’s done scary – Bill the Bucher in Gangs of New York – and raging – the aforementioned Daniel Plainview – so a Day-Lewis scary, raging Ocelot would really be a sight to behold. The problem of course,  would be getting the notoriously picky actor to say yes.

Final verdict

1: Daniel Day-Lewis

2: Kris Kristofferson

3: Gary Oldman

Honorable mentions: Sam Elliot, David Wenham, Hugo Weaving

The Supporting Players

Psycho Mantis

Former contortionist and horror stalwart Doug Jones would be pitch perfect as the psychotic Psycho Mantis, bringing his slender frame and graceful physicality to the role.

Gray Fox

If Joel Edgerton could bring the same physical energy he brought to Warrior, the Aussie actor and Karate black belt would be a strong candidate for Metal Gear Solid’s cyborg ninja.

Naomi Hunter

A good match physically, Rose Byrne would also bring the requisite dramatic weight to the emotionally conflicted Dr. Naomi Hunter.

Roy Campbell

Bryan Cranston would do an outstanding job as military man Roy Campbell, reprising the kind of no-nonsense authoritarianism he brought to Contagion and his voice work on Batman: Year One.

Mei Ling

Canadian actress Ellen Wong – best known as Knives from Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – is just the right mix of kick-ass and adorable needed for Metal Gear Solid’s kick-ass and adorable data analyst.

Sniper Wolf

As, arguably, Metal Gear Solid’s most memorable villain, it’s hard to shake Scarlett Johansson’s hardened Black Widow out of your head.

Vulcan Raven

Tom Hardy. 'Nuff said.

Decoy Octopus

Although little is known about Metal Gear Solid’s master of disguise, Jackie Earle Haley has the right non-descript, transformative features for such a role.

Nastasha Romanenko

Milla Jovovich would convince as as the well-read military analyst, and it doesn’t hurt that she and Natasha are both from the Ukraine.

These are our picks - what are yours? Let us know in the comments.

Lucy O'Brien is Assistant Editor at IGN AU. You should talk to her about games, horror movies and the TV show Freaks & Geeks on IGN here, find her on Twitter here or meet the rest of the Australian team by joining the IGN Australia Facebook community.

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Federal investigator: White House personnel may have been involved in Colombia prostitution scandal

The lead federal investigator into the Colombia prostitution scandal said for the first time Friday that White House personnel may have been involved -- despite administration claims to the contrary. 

Charles Edwards, the acting inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security, wrote in a letter to Sen. Susan Collins that his office's investigation into the April incident found "a hotel registry that suggests that two (non-Secret Service) personnel may have had contact with foreign nationals." 

The letter came two days after a FoxNews.com report revealed possible White House advance team involvement. 

One of those employees, Edwards wrote, was a Defense Department employee "affiliated" with the White House Communication Agency. 

The other, he said, "may have been" affiliated with the White House advance team. 

The White House denied the claims Friday. And Edwards wrote that his office did not pursue those leads "because they are not DHS personnel." 

Edwards wrote that while the allegations that went beyond the Secret Service "were outside the scope of the investigation, one of these employees is a Department of Defense employee affiliated with the White House Communication Agency and the other, whose employment status was not verified, may have been affiliated with the White House advance operation." 

That statement, though, calls into question claims made back in April by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney about the possible involvement of the White House team. Carney said that the White House counsel's office conducted a review and "came to the conclusion that there's no indication that any member of the White House advance team engaged in any improper conduct or behavior." 

The Obama administration stood by its original claims in reaction to Edwards' statements. 

A senior administration official said the member of the advance team was a "volunteer," as opposed to a White House employee. Further, the official said the volunteer was wrongly implicated based on inaccurate hotel records. 

White House spokesman Eric Schultz backed up Carney in standing by the original White House review. 

"As we've said for months, the White House review concluded that no members of the White House advance team, either staff or volunteers, engaged in inappropriate conduct during the president's trip to Colombia," Schultz said. 

Collins said in a statement Friday she was "troubled" by the new revelations, though, citing Carney's original claim. 

"On April 23, the White House spokesman said that the White House counsel's office had conducted its own review and concluded there had been no credible allegations of misconduct by anyone on the White House advance team or the White House staff. The White House explicitly denied any involvement after its own investigation and now the IG is questioning that account. This raises concerns about the credibility of the White House investigation," she said. 

A Secret Service source who was on the April Cartagena trip also questioned Edwards' claim that the leads were not pursued. The source told FoxNews.com that agents on the trip were specifically asked about White House staff, and that those leads were pursued by the DHS investigators. 

"He is lying that (White House) leads weren't pursued. I was asked by ... investigators if I knew about (White House) staff with girls along with many other (Secret Service) types that were interviewed," the source said. 

"He is playing with the truth," the source said of the IG's claim that White House leads weren't followed. "We were questioned specifically about the White House staff. We were all questioned." 

Edwards' letter came in response to an inquiry from Collins about the status of the DHS internal investigation. A spokesman for the DHS inspector general told FoxNews.com earlier this week that the investigation had recently been completed and the report would be submitted to administration officials in a matter of days. 

On Wednesday, FoxNews.com reported exclusively that the probe conducted by Department of Homeland Security investigators into the Cartagena scandal turned up claims that two members of the White House team had checked in prostitutes to the Hilton hotel in Cartagena. 

When Carney was asked Thursday about the forthcoming investigative report on the Colombia prostitution scandal, and the FoxNews.com report, Carney noted that the report was not yet public and that the White House had not seen it. 

"I have no comment on an IG report that nobody has seen," he said. "We'll await the report." 

Carney, though, said the White House stands by its counsel's office report from April concluding no White House staff involvement.    

Edwards, in his letter, asked to schedule a time with Collins to provide "a personal briefing on the scope of the investigation and a summary of our general findings." 

The letter to Collins was also sent to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, who fired off a letter of his own on Thursday to White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler demanding answers about the alleged White House personnel involvement. 

Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, cited the earlier FoxNews.com report and asked a string of pointed questions -- namely, he noted the White House never got back to him with more information about its counsel review and asked about the forthcoming investigative report. 

"Now more allegations have arisen regarding White House personnel procuring prostitutes during the President's trip to Colombia," Grassley wrote. 

He asked whether the White House has been in contact with the inspector general's office, whether the White House had any input in drafting the report and if the Secret Service was aware of alleged involvement of White House personnel. "If the report includes the findings that are being reported how did your initial review fail to uncover the involvement of these staffers?" Grassley wrote. 

The letter from Edwards also provided additional details about the original investigation into the Secret Service. 

Edwards wrote that investigators interviewed 251 Secret Service personnel, as well as reviewed travel records and hotel registries. 

"Based on these interviews and the review of these records, we identified thirteen individuals who were then employed by the USSS (Secret Service) who had personal encounters with female Colombian nationals consistent with the misconduct reported around the time of advance activities for the President's visit to Cartagena," he wrote. 

He said the encounters took place at the Hotel Caribe, the Hilton Cartagena and at a private residence. "Our investigation determined that twelve of these thirteen USSS employees met the female Colombia nationals at bars or clubs and returned with them to their rooms at the Hotel Caribe or the Hilton Cartagena Hotel. In addition, one USSS employee met a female Colombian national at private residence," he wrote. 

Three of the women left without asking money, five asked for money and were paid and four asked for money and were not paid, Edwards wrote. Police arrived on the scene when one of those women complained. 

"Although we found that these agents engaged in misconduct, our investigation developed no evidence to suggest that the actions of USSS personnel in Cartagena compromised the safety and security of the President or any sensitive information during this trip," he wrote. 

A voicemail left for a spokesman for the DHS inspector general requesting comment on the letter was not immediately returned. 

Contact Jana Winter at jana.winter@foxnews.com

FoxNews.com's Judson Berger contributed to this report. 

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