With former and potentially future President Donald Trump having been the target of two assassination attempts, Congress is making moves to better protect presidential candidates. On Friday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Counter Secretary Negligence In Protecting Election Runners (SNIPER) Act. Townhall was granted an exclusive sneak peak.
Such a bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary to determine a presidential candidate’s eligibility for new or enhanced United States Secret Service (USSS) protection in a timely, impartial, and transparent manner.
Should a presidential or vice presidential candidate be denied USSS protection, the DHS secretary is required to explain in writing the why that candidate did not qualify. That candidate may then also ask the secretary to reconsider, which must be reviewed within 14 days.
The bill also involves additional accountability for the USSS Director. "The Director of the United States Secret Service shall be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate," the last section of the bill reads.
In a statement for Townhall about his bill, Cruz referenced the two attempts on Trump's life, as well as other security concerns. "In the last two months, there have been two assassination attempts on President Trump’s life. Officials have briefed President Trump's campaign about Iranian assassination plots," the senator said.
He also had no problem calling out DHS Secretary Mayorkas. "Alejandro Mayorkas’s repeated failures to adequately enhance security for President Trump are inexcusable. Mayorkas also failed to provide Secret Service protection for Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for months, despite creditable threats on Kennedy's life. The Biden-Harris administration has politicized everything, from the DOJ to the Secret Service. I am proud to be working with Rep. Pfluger to hold the Biden-Harris administration accountable for these failures. All presidential candidates should receive fair and apolitical treatment by the Department of Homeland Security," Cruz continued. The senator had called on Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to receive USSS protection when he was running for president as a candidate and had faced threats, though he was denied protections several times. Protection was finally granted in July after the first attempt on Trump's life, and dropped just over a month later.
The House version of the bill, as Cruz referenced, was introduced in July by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX).
"In July, our country was mere millimeters away from a presidential assassination, and at least two attempts on President Trump’s life have been narrowly thwarted in the last three months. The Department of Homeland Security must ensure that all presidential candidates are given fair, apolitical, timely, and transparent consideration of USSS protection. We must provide adequate security for all presidential candidates—no matter their party affiliation," Plfuger also said in a statement.
Now former USSS Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned in July, 10 days after the first assassination attempt against Trump. While at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, Trump was shot and struck in the ear. One man, Corey Comperatore, was killed, and others were seriously injured. Cheatle faced pressure from both parties to resign, though Mayorkas still praised her service. Cheatle's replacement, Acting Director Ronald Rowe, meanwhile faces issues with being forthcoming with Congress, and has also praised Mayorkas.
A Rasmussen Reports poll has also shown that most Americans fear that another assassination attempt could come before Election Day. Threats from Iran are especially to be taken seriously, given that the foreign nation has laid out "specific" plans.
In addition to legislation, Congress has released reports on the failures of the USSS to adequately protect Trump. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) did so last Monday, the day after the second assassination attempt against the Republican nominee. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committees also released an initial, bipartisan report on Wednesday morning.
As mentioned, though, there have been concerns from both sides of the aisle about the USSS forthcomingness, with whistleblowers raising a whole host of concerns. Even Democrats, including Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), are concerned that DHS is "stonewalling" the investigation.
Accountability on such a matter likely can't come soon enough when it comes to Congress looking to get to the bottom of threats against Trump's life.