(Ken Silva, Headline USA) House Oversight Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced Tuesday that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will sit before his committee next week to answer questions about her agency’s stunning security failures that led to an assassination attempt on presidential frontrunner Donald Trump.
But shortly after Comer’s announcement, the Department of Homeland Security allegedly blocked communications between the Oversight Committee and the Secret Service—which is housed within the DHS. Now, the hearing appears to be up in the air.
“On Tuesday, the Secret Service had agreed to brief the House Oversight Committee. Now, Homeland Security has stepped in, superseded all communications with the Oversight Committee and has refused to confirm a briefing will occur,” Rep. Lauren Boebert, who sits on the Oversight Committee, announced Tuesday on Twitter.
“This is shady. I won’t be backing off!”
BREAKING: On Tuesday, the Secret Service had agreed to brief the House Oversight Committee.
Now, Homeland Security has stepped in, superseded all communications with the Oversight Committee and has refused to confirm a briefing will occur.
This is shady. I won’t be backing off!
— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) July 16, 2024
Chairman Comer reportedly responded to the development by preparing a subpoena to force Director Cheatle’s attendance.
Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green, R-Tenn., also demanded a hearing next week with Cheatle, as well as DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FBI Director Chris Wray. Green wants that hearing to take place Tuesday, the day after Cheatle would testify to the Oversight Committee.
“The American people want answers on what happened Saturday in Pennsylvania. 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,” Chairman Green said in a press release.
“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’s call for a hearing followed a letter he sent Sunday, demanding to see the Secret Service’s rules of engagement.
“According to the USSS, the shooter ‘fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position outside of the rally venue.’ This raises serious concerns regarding how a shooter was able to access a rooftop within range and direct line of sight of where President Trump was speaking,” Green told Mayorkas Sunday.
“Additionally, some reporting, suggests that the Department of Homeland Security (Department) ‘rebuffed’ multiple requests from President Trump’s security detail to increase protective resources in the weeks preceding this event.”
Green seeks information from the DHS by this Friday.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
