On Saturday night, that same day as when former and potentially future President Donald Trump was nearly assassinated at his rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania, members of Congress began calling for accountability.
On Monday afternoon, the House Oversight Committee announced the time and date of a hearing on "Oversight of the U.S. Secret Service and the Attempted Assassination of President Donald J. Trump," to take place next Monday, July 22, at 10:00am.
America deserves answers. We intend to get them on Monday.
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) July 15, 2024
Hearing: Oversight of the U.S. Secret Service and the Attempted Assassination of President Donald J. Trump
Monday, July 22, 2024 | 10:00 AM EThttps://t.co/TLQcj3Z783
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) had already sent a letter to U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on July 13, the same night that the shooting occurred.
"The tremendous bravery of the individual United States Secret Service agents who protected President Trump, eliminated the gunman, and possibly averted more loss of life cannot be overstated," Comer wrote early on in part.
🚨BREAKING🚨@RepJamesComer has invited U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify at a hearing on Monday, July 22.
— Oversight Committee (@GOPoversight) July 14, 2024
Americans demand answers about the assassination attempt of President Trump. pic.twitter.com/zKia2oIxCf
The announcement of the hearing comes amidst some damning reports about the Secret Service and concerns about a lack of proper protection for the former president.
As Nick Arama covered for our sister site of RedState earlier on Monday, RealClearPolitics' Susan Crabtree is out with a report that Secret Service resources were diverted from Trump to First Lady Jill Biden. Matt also covered how NBC News reported that the Secret Service was aware of "potential vulnerability in the days before the event." Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) also told CNN that the assassination attempt was "a massive security breach." The Secret Service has denied limiting Trump's detail, Katie covered.
There is also bipartisan support in favor of beefing up Secret Service protections for Trump, President Joe Biden, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who is running for president as an Independent. He has requested such protections multiple times before, only to be denied by Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.
As Leah covered on Sunday, Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) are introducing a bill to enhance such protections.