The Secret Service director resigns in the wake of a Trump assassination attempt
The Homeland Security Commission is Discerning the Facts of the Butler Mass Shooting Observed by the FBI & the Interior Department
The Homeland Security panel and the Republican-led House are leading congressional probes as well. Today, a bipartisan group of the House Homeland Security panel will visit the site of the shooting in person in Butler and discuss their findings so far after the tour.
In addition, the panel’s chairman, Tennessee Republican Mark Green, has also called for additional testimony from Cheatle plus top FBI and Homeland Security officials. However, Cheatle has yet to accept the invitation.
Director Cheatle, I think you should resign. However — in complete defiance — Director Cheatle has maintained she will not tender her resignation,” Comers said. “Therefore, she will answer questions today from Members of this Committee seeking to provide clarity to the American people about how these events were allowed to transpire. ”
Guglielmi confirmed to NPR that at least six additional Trump security requests were denied by the Secret Service over the past two years.
The FBI Investigating the July 13 September Shooting: A New Look at State of the Art in Countersniper Operations at the Maryland Department of Homeland Security
The panel includes the Obama-era DHS secretary, Janet Napolitano; the Homeland Security adviser to the Bush administration, Fran Townsend; and the former Secretary of Maryland State Police, David Mitchell. Other experts could be named to the panel in the coming days.
“We are committed to getting to the bottom of what happened on July 13, and I am grateful to the distinguished members of this independent review who will bring decades of expertise in law enforcement and security operations to this important investigation,” Mayorkas said, adding: “This independent review will examine what happened and provide actionable recommendations to ensure they carry out their no-fail mission most effectively and to prevent something like this from ever happening again.”
Cheatle denied claims that the agency had denied the Trump team requests for additional security.
He said that she has led the Secret Service with skill, honor, integrity, and dedication over the past two years. “She is deeply respected by the men and women of the agency and by her fellow leaders in the Department of Homeland Security. I am very proud of my time working with Director Cheatle.
Cheatle told lawmakers the agency is fully cooperating with the FBI’s investigation, congressional oversight and conducting its own internal review. However, she was unable to answer most direct questions about the findings of her investigators, citing the ongoing nature of their work.
The concerns are expected to be echoed repeatedly in what’s expected to be a hours-long hearing that could last much of the day. It is the culmination of several investigations into the shooting and the Secret Service.
The agency made modifications to ensure the security of the protectee when that specific Secret Service specialized units or resources weren’t provided. “This may include utilizing state or local partners to provide specialized functions or otherwise identifying alternatives to reduce public exposure of a protectee.”
This included several denied requests for magnetometers at public events, including a 2023 event in Michigan and Bronx County, N.Y., and Wildwood, N.J., rallies in May. The July 2023 rally in South Carolina was instead fulfilled by local law enforcement after the Secret Service did not have countersniper teams available.
What Have We Learned about the Assassination of a Black Hole and the Secret Service About the “Operative Failure”? A Reply to Comer
The letter states that you did not give answers to questions regarding the operational failure and that the Secret Service has begun to correct its mistakes.
“The American people have questions. They need answers. Congress deserves answers,” said House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky. “You were subpoenaed today to provide answers, and, ma’am, you did not do that.”
The hearing featured members on both sides of the aisle expressing frustration over Cheatles’ testimony, in which she didn’t give clear answers on how the shooter was able to get on to a nearby roof with a clear line of sight of the former president.
Cheatle’s resignation comes a day after she testified before the House Oversight Committee, where she faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for not being able to fully answer their questions about the assassination attempt.
Biden points to the work of an independent commission that was launched this weekend to investigate a assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Cheatle was thanked by President Biden, who said she had risked her life to protect the nation.
“The task force will be empowered with subpoena authority and will move quickly to find the facts, ensure accountability, and make certain such failures never happen again.”
Recommendations for changes to agencies will be made by that panel. The House will vote on a resolution to establish the force this week.
In addition to a variety of ongoing investigations, top congressional leaders announced there will be a bipartisan investigative task force comprised of seven Republicans and six Democrats.
