Top FBI and Secret Service officials will face questions from senators on Tuesday about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during a combined hearing in front of the Senate’s Judiciary and Homeland Security committees.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate will speak to lawmakers about the security failures that led to Trump nearly being assassinated during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, earlier this month. The two are expected to be questioned about how 20-year-old Thomas Mathew Crooks was able to access a rooftop within 150 yards of Trump and fire several shots at the former president.
Abbate is also expected to give lawmakers an update on the FBI investigation into the attack, which injured Trump, two rally attendees, and killed 50-year-old Corey Comperatore.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), who heads up the Senate Judiciary Committee, said on Monday that the hearing would focus on the security lapses surrounding the incident.
“Despite the implementation of a security plan to secure the rally site on July 13, the shooter involved was able to fly a drone outside of the security perimeter for 11 minutes,” Durbin said. “His suspicious activity was reported twice, and he was spotted on the roof of a building prior to taking his first shot — yet his violent plan continued unimpeded, and he was able to fire eight shots before a Secret Service countersniper killed him.”
Text messages obtained by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and shared with the New York Times show that Crooks was flagged by law enforcement as suspicious more than 90 minutes before he started shooting.
Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS), who is on the Homeland Security committee, told The Daily Wire that security lapses occurred because Secret Service agents didn’t work closely with local law enforcement.
“Time and time again, we see three letter agencies and their bureaucratic processes and political biases fail our communities,” he told The Daily Wire. “This is a top-down systemic failure and culture that’s plaguing these agencies and must be addressed.”
“The U.S. Secret Service team blew off Butler County local law enforcement, the officers who know this community the best- why is that?” he asked. “Would things be different today if communication and respect between local and D.C. officials was stronger?”
Lawmakers in both the House and Senate have launched investigations into the attack. On Monday, the House named a task force to spearhead an inquiry. Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned last week after she was grilled by House lawmakers over the security failures surrounding the rally.
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[[{“value”:”
Top FBI and Secret Service officials will face questions from senators on Tuesday about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump during a combined hearing in front of the Senate’s Judiciary and Homeland Security committees.
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate will speak to lawmakers about the security failures that led to Trump nearly being assassinated during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, earlier this month. The two are expected to be questioned about how 20-year-old Thomas Mathew Crooks was able to access a rooftop within 150 yards of Trump and fire several shots at the former president.
Abbate is also expected to give lawmakers an update on the FBI investigation into the attack, which injured Trump, two rally attendees, and killed 50-year-old Corey Comperatore.
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), who heads up the Senate Judiciary Committee, said on Monday that the hearing would focus on the security lapses surrounding the incident.
“Despite the implementation of a security plan to secure the rally site on July 13, the shooter involved was able to fly a drone outside of the security perimeter for 11 minutes,” Durbin said. “His suspicious activity was reported twice, and he was spotted on the roof of a building prior to taking his first shot — yet his violent plan continued unimpeded, and he was able to fire eight shots before a Secret Service countersniper killed him.”
Text messages obtained by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and shared with the New York Times show that Crooks was flagged by law enforcement as suspicious more than 90 minutes before he started shooting.
Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS), who is on the Homeland Security committee, told The Daily Wire that security lapses occurred because Secret Service agents didn’t work closely with local law enforcement.
“Time and time again, we see three letter agencies and their bureaucratic processes and political biases fail our communities,” he told The Daily Wire. “This is a top-down systemic failure and culture that’s plaguing these agencies and must be addressed.”
“The U.S. Secret Service team blew off Butler County local law enforcement, the officers who know this community the best- why is that?” he asked. “Would things be different today if communication and respect between local and D.C. officials was stronger?”
Lawmakers in both the House and Senate have launched investigations into the attack. On Monday, the House named a task force to spearhead an inquiry. Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned last week after she was grilled by House lawmakers over the security failures surrounding the rally.
“}]]
