Final answer:
The most important public opinion lesson from the 2012 Secret Service scandal is that the organization suffered significant damage to its public standing.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Seitel, the most important public opinion lesson to emerge from the 2012 U.S. Secret Service prostitution scandal is that the organization suffered serious setbacks in terms of its standing with the public. This situation demonstrates how public opinion can influence the perception of government institutions, where actions that go against expected ethical standards can have a detrimental impact on the credibility and reputation of an agency. While the Secret Service may have had reserves in the bank of public opinion before the incident, the scandal underscored the fragility of public trust and the challenges institutions face in maintaining a positive public image.