Kevin Johnson

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The federal government has agreed to pay $24 million to settle a long-running discrimination case brought by a group of African-American Secret Service agents who alleged that they were systematically denied promotion to the agency’s highest ranks.

The settlement, announced late Tuesday, effectively ends a 16-year legal battle which exposed early rifts in an agency that more recently was plagued with security breaches and agent misconduct.

“I am pleased that we are able to finally put this chapter of Secret Service history behind us,’’ Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said. “Had the matter gone to trial, it would have required that we re-live things long past, just at a time when the Secret Service is on the mend.’’

Johnson asserted that the agency had “turned the corner’’ under the leadership of current Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy, who was appointed nearly two years ago by President Obama.

“This settlement is also, simply, the right thing to do,’’ Johnson said.

The Secret Service said the policy at the heart of the lawsuit, which alleged that promotion process was biased against black agents, has been “modified substantially and that continues to be further modified and enhanced today.’’

“While the Secret Service takes all allegations in this case seriously, the organization has, and continues to be, committed to a fair and transparent promotion process. It is time to move forward rather than look back to remnants of the past.’’

Reginald "Ray'' Moore, the lead plaintiff in the case, called the outcome both "welcome and sweet.''

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"More than 16 years ago, a group of my black colleagues and I decided to stand up for what was right,'' Moore said in a written statement. "We had seen and experienced firsthand the racial discrimination and a good-old-boy network that passed us over for promotions to the highest levels of the Secret Service.

"We knew that complaining about the time-honored tradition of black agents being held back from leadership positions would not be good for our careers,'' Moore said. "But, despite the fact that we had suffered discrimination, we also loved the Secret Service and its mission and were honored to do our job every day. That is why we decided to bring this lawsuit, so that the agency could finally address the terrible vestige of its past, clearing the way for future generations of agents of all stripes to be promoted based on their competence, and nothing else.''

Attorney Desmond Hogan, who represented the group, said the settlement was won for more than 100 black agents "who risked their lives every day to protect our leaders and our financial system.''

The deal, Hogan said, "at long last means that black Secret Service Agents will not be constrained by the glass ceiling that held back so many so many for so long when it came time to fill the leadership positions at the Secret Service.''

Under terms of the settlement, some agents could receive up to $300,000 in relief.