The news just keeps getting worse for the Secret Service and Director Kimberly Cheatle as more and more information comes out regarding their failure to keep Donald Trump safe at his rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania. The president came within less of an inch of losing his life as a would-be assassin was inexplicably allowed to create a perch on a rooftop that had a clear sightline to the former president (and now GOP nominee).
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The latest bombshell, delivered Saturday evening by The Washington Post: that Trump’s team had repeatedly asked for more security over the last two years, only to be rebuffed.
Top officials at the U.S. Secret Service repeatedly denied requests for additional resources and personnel sought by Donald Trump’s security detail in the two years leading up to his attempted assassination at a rally in Pennsylvania last Saturday, according to four people familiar with the requests.
RedState’s Jennifer O’Connell reported shortly after the shooting that radio host and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino made similar claims.
REPORTS: Trump Requested Heightened Security Resources From Secret Service for Weeks, Was Denied
The sheer amount of errors was shocking, and more and more reports are piling up of intra-departmental communication issues, lack of preparedness, and an overall lack of professionalism.
We need answers:
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Not only was the roof supposed to be secured, but the shooter had been identified as a possible risk by law enforcement yet was allowed to roam around unmolested—even as audience members pointed him out. He even took drone footage of the site beforehand. Meanwhile, there have been multiple pundits pointing out that many of the agents seemed ill-prepared and unsuited to take on the responsibility of protecting Trump, possibly because DEI has become more important to Cheatle than competence.
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This new information being reported by the Post will only add more fire to the calls for Cheatle to resign and for procedures to be completely revamped:
Agents charged with protecting the former president requested magnetometers and more agents to screen attendees at sporting events and other large public gatherings Trump attended, as well as additional snipers and specialty teams at other outdoor events, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive security discussions. The requests, which have not been previously reported, were sometimes denied by senior officials at the agency, who cited various reasons, including a lack of resources at an agency that has long struggled with staffing shortages, they said.
As RedState’s Becca Lower reported Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee and Chairman James Comer (R-KY) first “invited” and then formally subpoenaed Cheatle to appear at a hearing on Monday, and she has reportedly agreed to testify. Should that hearing occur as scheduled, it is sure to be extremely heated as lawmakers demand answers to the unprecedented failure that almost led to a historic and awful outcome. (And we must never forget, it did in fact end with a horrible outcome for Corey Comperatore).
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The more information that comes out, the worse things are looking for the Secret Service and the Biden administration. The American people want answers, and we’ll find out Monday if we get some.