The House Oversight Committee on Monday announced that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle will appear at a hearing on Monday, July 22. Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) had sent a request over the weekend for her to testify.
“The United States Secret Service has a no-fail mission, yet it failed on Saturday when a madman attempted to assassinate President Trump, killed an innocent victim, and harmed others,” Comer said in a statement, adding that while he is “grateful to the brave Secret Service agents … questions remain about how a rooftop within proximity to President Trump was left unsecure.”
In preparation for the hearing, Comer and every Republican on the panel on Monday sent the Secret Service a request for various documents, communications and other information regarding the security preparations for the rally.
In addition, the Oversight panel has a member briefing scheduled with the Secret Service for Tuesday, a source familiar with the matter told The Hill.
Cheatle said in a statement Monday that the agency “will also work with the appropriate Congressional committees on any oversight action.”
Over in the House Homeland Security Committee, Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) and ranking member Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) had a “detailed call” with FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells on Monday afternoon, a committee spokesperson said.
In the call, the committee leaders were told that the FBI’s Pittsburgh office is leading the investigation into “potential domestic terrorism and the attempted assassination of President Trump." While the FBI is focused on the gunman and his motive, the Secret Service is conducting a separate review of its security protocol.
They were also told that the FBI has conducted nearly 100 interviews so far and has access to the gunman’s phone, which “pleased” Green.
Leaders in the House Judiciary Committee also received a briefing from the FBI on Monday morning, and House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) was also briefed by the FBI on Monday, sources confirmed to The Hill.
Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, announced that his panel will pursue a bipartisan investigation on the assassination attempt.
Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and the Republicans on the committee, meanwhile, are pressing Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to hold a hearing with Cheatle, Mayorkas and FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Read the full report at TheHill.com.
