Search for answers on Trump assassination attempt ramps up

In a rare moment of unity, both Democrats and Republicans are coming together to uncover the security failures which led to the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump. On Monday, while Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle appeared in front of another House committee, a group of congressmen from the House Homeland Security Committee visited the site in Butler, Pennsylvania, to get a firsthand hold of what really happened that day.

The trip was led by Chairman Mark Green on Monday as part of the bipartisan effort to investigate how the gunman, Thomas Crooks, gained access to the roof from which he shot Trump.

The visit only yielded more questions — why were warnings about the suspicious sightings ignored? Why were the perimeters not secured? Why wasn’t there a sniper on the nearby water tower? “If any of our counter-sniper teams were up on that water tower, this individual wouldn’t have made it five feet,” Arizona representative Eli Crane, a former Navy Seal sniper, said. 

The Secret Service claimed the roof Crooks fired his shots from was “too steep” for snipers. “I’m seventy years old, there’s nothing unsafe about that roof,” said Florida representative Carlos Giménez after he was able to climb the roof with ease.

Maryland representative Glenn Ivey also pointed out the twelve roofs located around the grounds, saying that “maybe this isn’t the best place to have done this.”

It also appears that there was a lack of preparation and communication between local law enforcement and the Secret Service in the days leading up to the event. Local officials were only given five days’ warning — and a number of people working at the site the night before were not vetted by the Secret Service. 

House Leader Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries came together today to announce the creation of a bipartisan task force to investigate the attempted assassination. Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, and Jeffries, a New York Democrat, said the task force will have all investigative authority over the House and the ability to issue subpoenas. It will be composed of thirteen members, seven Republicans and six Democrats. 

“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,” Johnson and Jeffries said in a joint statement.

Homeland Security director Alejandro Mayorkas also appointed a bipartisan, independent panel to review the assassination attempt. The panel will have forty-five days to review the policies and procedures of the Secret Service before, during and after the July 13 rally. Members of the panel include Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano and Frances Townsend, former Homeland Security advisor to President George W. Bush.

The House Homeland Security Committee will hold hearings on Tuesday where the Pennsylvania State Police commissioner, Colonel Christopher Paris, and Patrick Yoes, the national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, will testify.

Just moments after the announcement of the formation of the House committee, Director Cheatle announced her resignation. Her decision came a day after the brutal hearing in which both Democrats and Republicans called on her to leave the job. The hearing took place amid an investigation into the events of July 13 — and members of Congress grew frustrated over Cheatle’s inability to answer basic facts about the incident.

“She should have done this at least a week ago,” said Speaker Mike Johnson. Johnson said the news will not change plans for the task force.