Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle admitted at the start of Monday’s House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing that the attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump was a massive failure — but went on to say she is still the best person for the job.
“The assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on July 13 is the most significant operational failure of the Secret Service in decades, and I am keeping him and his family in my thoughts,” said Cheatle. “The Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders. On July 13, we failed. As director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse of our agency.”
‘I just don’t think this is partisan.’
Cheatle was evasive in much of the questioning from Republicans and Democrats about the attempted assassination, citing the ongoing investigation into the incident. When asked why the roof used by the shooter was left unsecured, Cheatle said it was outside the security perimeter. While there were plans to provide greater oversight for the rally, she said the agency is still looking into why the roof was left unsecured.
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) pressed Cheatle on whether she really is the best person to be director of an important law enforcement agency.
“I think that I am the best person to lead the Secret Service at this time,” Cheatle replied.
The calls for Cheatle to step down during the hearing were bipartisan. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) got Cheatle to again admit that Saturday’s shooting was a failure of her agency.
“I just don’t think this is partisan. If you have an assassination attempt on a president, a former president, or a candidate, you need to resign,” Khanna said, pointing to Director Stuart Knight, who resigned after the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also ripped into Cheatle for her lack of “answers” nearly 10 days after the shooting took place.
“The idea that a report will be finalized in 60 days, let alone prior to any actionable decisions that would be made, is simply not acceptable. It has been 10 days since an assassination attempt on a former president. There need to be answers,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
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Politics