Secrets at home and at the office keep Elizabeth on her toes in Madam Secretary Season 1 Episode 3. A rogue former State Department employee gives reporter, Gina Fischer, thousands of secret U. S. documents. The documents ranged from embarrassing emails to the names of covert operatives.

While Elizabeth begins the lengthy of process of apologizing to offended international leaders and officials, she meets with Gina to see if she can stop her from releasing more of The Viper Cables. She refuses, which means those operatives lives will be at risk when their names go public.

The President agrees with Elizabeth to recall their covert operatives, but their asset in Pakistan is captured and tried as a spy. His punishment is to be hanged and Elizabeth works with her team to find a diplomatic solution.

Back home, Henry and Elizabeth discover that Allison's boyfriend broke up with her via text. They can't comfort her because she hasn't told them. They have been secretly reading all of her text messages. Henry gets invited to meet with the Russian Foreign Minister for lunch. Minister Gorev informs Henry that if he does not give his daughter an A in his Ethics Class that he will create problems for Elizabeth in Eastern Europe. Henry refuses.

Elizabeth and her team find a solution, but it doesn't come without a price. Roy Schafer is released while Elizabeth wonders if she's becoming a morally compromised version of herself.