While United States Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle was before the House Oversight Committee on Monday feebly attempting to defend her job leading the agency responsible for keeping presidents from getting shot in the face, other lawmakers were in Butler, Pennsylvania, at the site of the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Members of Congress traveled with the House Homeland Security Committee to the site of the near assassination to survey the scene as investigators from a handful of federal agencies continue their probe of the events leading up to the moment when the would-be assassin fired into the Trump rally — wounding Trump, killing attendee Corey Comperatore, and critically wounding two other rally goers.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) — who also serves as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — was among the lawmakers making the trip to Pennsylvania to survey the scene, including the rooftop from which the would-be assassin launched his attack.
It’s harrowing to stand where President Trump’s would-be assassin was taken out. He should never have been here in the first place.
— Michael McCaul (@RepMcCaul) July 22, 2024
Director Cheatle has not visited the rally site, but @HomelandGOP is here in Pennsylvania to get answers on the security failures. pic.twitter.com/dp9Xc6pvZg
As McCaul noted in a post on X from the "harrowing" scene, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has not yet visited the rally site-turned-crime scene in the nine days — a fact she admitted in Monday's congressional hearing back in D.C. — since the assassination attempt. She did, however, have time to show up at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee where she scurried away from GOP lawmakers while refusing to answer their questions.
FALLON: "Have you visited the site?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) July 22, 2024
CHEATLE: "No, I have not."
FALLON: "NINE days and you have not visited the site?!" pic.twitter.com/ZBFBpn8FED
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), a former Navy SEAL sniper, was among the lawmakers visiting Butler on Monday. He said that his visit made it "clear" that "many security measures were dropped" making Trump "extremely vulnerable" once he took the stage on July 13.
I’m on the roof of the building in Butler, PA where shots were fired in an attempt to assassinate President Trump.
— Rep. Eli Crane (@RepEliCrane) July 22, 2024
As a former Navy SEAL sniper, it was clear to me that many security measures were dropped making Pres. Trump extremely vulnerable.
Many questions still remain. pic.twitter.com/p2EhBTFg1M
This video was taken from one of the windows the Secret Service had access to, overlooking the entire roof.
— Rep. Eli Crane (@RepEliCrane) July 22, 2024
As you can see, they had complete coverage.
Makes you wonder how on earth they allowed the shooter to access the roof, let alone crawl up it & fire several shots. pic.twitter.com/C1GTUAuPEa
Noting his ability to get up on the roof used by the would-be assassin to shoot at Trump and his supporters as a 70-year-old, Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) said "anybody" would have been able to reach the vantage point — a swipe at Director Cheatle's claim that Secret Service agents were unable to secure the roof because it was sloped.
🚨BREAKING —> My name is Carlos Gimenez & I represent Miami in Congress.
— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) July 22, 2024
I’m standing on the roof in Pennsylvania where Thomas Crooks attempted to assassinate President Trump.
I’m 70 years old, if I was able to get on this roof — anybody can. pic.twitter.com/fWmPnvpdtK
Much like the general and bipartisan conclusion in Monday's Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) — chairman of the Homeland Security Committee — said while en route to the rally site that "Director Cheatle needs to step down as the head of the Secret Service."
Headed to Butler, Pennsylvania, to look at the site of the assassination attempt on President Trump. We have a lot of questions, but one thing is pretty clear: Director Cheatle needs to step down as the head of the Secret Service. pic.twitter.com/wVFyyXIQz2
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) July 22, 2024
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