Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal called out the Department of Homeland Security for “stonewalling” an investigation into the first assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Blumenthal, who serves as chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations under the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said DHS has been "almost derelict in its duty by resisting our requests for documents, evidence and information that are necessary to our investigation.”
He went on to express his disappointment and anger at the agency’s “failure to be more forthcoming with the evidence that we specifically requested and its attitude of, in effect, stonewalling.”
From colleague Ryan Schmelz. Blumenthal: The Department of Homeland Security has been deeply disappointed and in fact, almost derelict in its duty, by resisting our request for documents, evidence and information that are necessary to our investigation. And I've been…
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) September 17, 2024
"We may need to require more cooperation from them," Blumenthal added. "And we have the power to do so through the compulsory process. In other words, the subpoena power."
Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., PSI ranking member, echoed Blumenthal's characterization of the DHS and its lack of transparency, claiming, "They're holding all their cards close to the vest."
In fact, he said their withholding of information is "driving suspicion and driving conspiracy theories."
As for his Democratic counterpart on the PSI and HSGAC, Chairman Gary Peters, D-Mich., Johnson said, "I hope they're getting frustrated."
"I wrote a letter that it took us a couple weeks for all four offices to sign onto. That's the one that upset them because we sent it to Secret Service and DHS. We got a response in four hours, and the response was pretty disrespectful," he described. "And I think that fired up Chairman Peters and Chairman Blumenthal… I think that's the reaction you heard last week. They're not happy with the way they're treating them." (Fox News)
DHS pushed back on the criticism.
"Since July 13, the Department and the U.S. Secret Service have provided the Senate with multiple briefings, nearly 2,500 pages of documents, and more than 50 hours of transcribed interviews," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News. "It has done so while also cooperating with investigations by the House Special Task Force, the Independent Review Panel directed by the President, the DHS OIG, and the Government Accountability Office. Claims that the Department and Secret Service are not cooperating are false and fail to recognize the robust response and ongoing work to meet Congress’ oversight requests, and our clear commitment to accountability for the events of July 13th."
The comments come after Blumenthal said last week the American people are going to be "shocked, astonished, and appalled" by the upcoming report on the July 13 assassination attempt.
🚨Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), says forthcoming report on Trump assassination attempt "will absolutely shock the American people."
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) September 12, 2024
"I think the American people are going to be shocked, astonished & appalled by what we will report to them about the failures by the Secret… pic.twitter.com/fvyBU6UZMt