The House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify at their upcoming public hearing concerning the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump (R).
“According to the subpoena’s cover letter shared by the Oversight Committee on X Wednesday, Cheatle was originally set to appear voluntarily at the hearing but Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “officials appear to have intervened and your attendance is now in question.”
“The lack of transparency and failure to cooperate with the Committee on this pressing matter by both DHS and the Secret Service further calls into question your ability to lead the Secret Service and necessitates the attached subpoena compelling your appearance before the Oversight Committee,” the letter, signed by Chairman James Comer (R-KY), stated.
🚨BREAKING: Chairman Comer Subpoenas Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) July 17, 2024
“Initially, the Secret Service committed to your attendance. Subsequently, however, DHS officials appear to have intervened and your attendance is now in question. In addition, since DHS’s… pic.twitter.com/6OWOaJD84M
“Americans demand accountability and transparency about the Secret Service’s failures that led to the attempted assassination of President Trump, but they aren’t getting that from President Biden’s Department of Homeland Security,” the House Oversight Committee said in a statement.
“We have many questions for Director Cheatle about the Secret Service’s historic failure and she must appear before the House Oversight Committee next week,” they said.
Click Here to Read the Oversight Committee’s Full Press Release
In an interview with ABC News following the attempted assassination of the former president, Cheatle admitted that “the buck stops with [her]” but went on to make several remarks that have since drawn scrutiny.
Most notably, she asserted that snipers were not located on the roof from which the shooter opened fire because the building had a sloped roof.
“That building in particular has a sloped roof, at its highest point. And so, there’s a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn’t want to put somebody up on a sloped roof. And so, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside,” said Cheatle.
Click Here to Read ABC’s Original Report on the Interview
The House Homeland Security Committee is also set to hold a hearing on the attempted assassination at which Cheatle has been requested to appear.
Also called to testify at this hearing are Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray.
These high-ranking individuals are required to submit their written testimony to the Committee by Friday, July 19.
“The American people deserve answers,” wrote the House Homeland GOP on X.
BREAKING: Chairman @RepMarkGreen has requested Secretary Mayorkas, Director Wray, & Director Cheatle testify before the Committee on July 23 re: the attempted assassination of President Trump.
— House Homeland GOP (@HomelandGOP) July 16, 2024
Our info requests must be satisfied by July 19.
The American people deserve answers. pic.twitter.com/U9nzsCiw9W
“The American people want answers on what happened Saturday in Pennsylvania,” Rep. Green reportedly said in a statement. “Secretary Mayorkas and Director Cheatle are responsible for the department and the agency charged with securing our homeland and protecting our nation’s chief executives and candidates, while Director Wray leads the agency with the vital responsibility of investigating this attempted assassination.
“It is imperative that we partner to understand what went wrong, and how Congress can work with the departments and agencies to ensure this never happens again,” Green continued.
“Successful oversight requires Congress to work together with these officials as they testify publicly before the House Committee on Homeland Security,” he concluded. “The American people, and the individuals and families who receive protective services, deserve nothing less.”
The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general launched an investigation of the Secret Service’s process for securing the former president’s July 13th rally, as announced in a brief note on their website.
“Evaluate the United States Secret Service’s (Secret Service) process for securing former President Trump’s July 13, 2024 campaign event,” the statement said.
The project mission is vaguely described as “counter[ing] terrorism and homeland threats.”
In addition to this, President Joe Biden (D) has “directed an independent review of the national security” at the rally “to assess exactly what happened.”
“We’ll share the results of that independent review to the American people, as well,” President Biden said Sunday.
When the 20 year old gunman opened fire at former President Trump’s rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania, one attendee was killed and two were seriously injured.
Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old father and volunteer fire chief, was shot and killed after diving on top of his family members to protect them from the bullets.
Two others — David Dutch, 57 and James Copenhaver, 74 — were also shot and were reportedly in stable condition Sunday. A statement from Copenhaver’s family indicated that he suffered “life-altering injuries.”
The Secret Service dispises Carol Leonnig. Why? Read ‘Zero Fail”. What happened to former President Trump never should have happened, never! This falls completely on Director Cheatle. The Director can either resign or be fired, well I hope President Biden would fire her if she chooses not to. The Secret Service needs a house cleaning and restoring what once was a highly regarded vital defense of our democracy. Leonning’s books air the Serviice’s filthy laundry. What happens on your watch is your responsibility.
A clear unobstructed line of sight from 150 yards.
I need not write another word…
Can we say contempt of Congress, there is a room vacancy now that Peter Navarro has been let out
In Biden’s administration;
Failure is rewarded.
Blunders are overlooked.
Ineptitude is covered up,
And Incompetence is promoted.