Questions and tensions continue to swirl on Capitol Hill following the resignation of US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Tuesday. Her departure occurred in the aftermath of a contentious hearing during which she was subjected to an onslaught of questions from lawmakers from both parties, all of whom were curious about a security lapse that came dangerously close to resulting in the assassination of former President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. Despite her resignation, the saga is far from over, according to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
“[There] needs to be an investigation into Director Cheatle, or former Director Cheatle’s role in the attempted assassination of President Trump,” she said on Tuesday. “There may be criminal charges coming in the future. I think she showed up to the oversight committee, refused to answer our questions, did not bring any of the information that we asked her to bring and subpoenaed.”
According to Greene, responsibility doesn’t end with Cheatle but extends to her superiors, notably hinting at Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’s role in the oversight of the Secret Service. “She came in yesterday, participated in a full cover-up, and then resigned today. I think that speaks a message loud and clear.”
Cheatle initially refused to resign following during interview she conducted only days after Trump was nearly assassinated. The continuous stream of revelations regarding the Secret Service’s management of Trump’s presidential campaign may have played a role in Cheatle’s decision to leave, however. Last week, major news outlets reported that the service had previously rejected several requests to monitor Trump following the receipt of death threats he had received. On Monday, Cheatle attempted to deflect when questioned about the exact number of requests she had denied.
The director informed House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) that the Secret Service frequently depends on collaborations with local law enforcement to address gaps in its coverage, particularly during election years. Meanwhile, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) was the first to disclose that the Secret Service had assigned personnel from other federal agencies who did not have proper agent training to be on Trump’s security detail at the Butler, Pa., rally.
On Monday, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) alleged that he had obtained proof from a whistleblower at an agency that revealed the Secret Service deployed three “post” officers to Trump’s rally on July 13. In comparison, first lady Jill Biden’s visit to Pittsburgh was assigned 12 “post” officers. The revelation came to light during Grassley’s investigation into communication within the Secret Service regarding staffing for both Trump and Jill Biden, who were only 33 miles apart that day.
