(The Center Square) – All Republicans on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee have called on its chair, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., to hold a hearing on the circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.
Led by Ranking Member Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-SC, they asked Durbin to hold a hearing to call U.S. Department of Homeland Security Director Alejandro Mayorkas, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and Federal Bureau of Investigations Director Christopher Wray as witnesses.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has jurisdiction and oversight authority over all three agencies; the Secret Service falls under the leadership of Mayorkas.
“In light of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump and the murder and injury of other attendees at a peaceful political event, we urgently request that you hold a hearing into the circumstances that led to this tragedy,” they wrote, calling on him to request Mayorkas, Cheatle and Wray to testify," the letter, dated Monday. said.
“There is much unknown about this attempted assassination, but its occurrence raises alarming questions and concerns,” they said, raising questions about how a “would-be assassin was able to access a nearby rooftop with a rifle and a line of sight to President Trump.”
Because of the committee’s oversight of the federal agencies responsible for security of the president and former presidents, they said the committee “must fulfill its responsibility to investigate this thoroughly and publicly to understand how this happened and how it can be prevented in the future. The sanctity of our elections, the safety of our candidates, and the peaceful transition of power in our Republic demand nothing less.”
Graham was joined by Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee.
On the same day as they sent the letter, Durbin said, “This morning, I was briefed by FBI Deputy Director Abbate on the investigation into the assassination attempt on former President Trump. I've requested a closed-door, in-person briefing next week with USSS, DHS, FBI for all Judiciary Committee members when the Senate is back.”
On Wednesday. U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., said the briefing some senators did have with Secret Service “was unbelievably uninformative. Only 4 questions were allowed. The rest of us are supposed to submit questions. I already have. Awaiting a response. Not holding my breath.”
He also published a letter of his questions, including requesting information from Mayorkas about a security plan in place for the July 13 rally, all records between Secret Service, the FBI, state and local law enforcement regarding the rally, among other questions.
The U.S. House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed Cheatle to testify, stating it will hold a hearing on Wednesday.
Numerous Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, have called for her resignation. Johnson said he’s creating a bipartisan task force to investigate the assassination attempt.
The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security has also demanded answers of Mayorkas, who has defended Secret Service’s failures. These include failing to secure the perimeter of the event, not having security on all surrounding building rooftops or a nearby water tower, not deploying helicopters, drones or other technologies, reportedly assigning new recruits as detail, including women who do not appear physically qualified for the job, former Secret Service agents have argued, describing the security failures as “apocalyptic” and calling for Cheatle’s immediate resignation.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General is also investigating Secret Service security breaches.
U.S. Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, who chairs the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counterterrorism, is also conducting an investigation. He said he directed his staff “to review U.S. Secret Service actions before, during, and after the event. I am talking to law enforcement officials, Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green, and others to collect all relevant information and take action.”
Cheatle will testify before the House committee “either willingly or under subpoena,” he said.
“Our nation was millimeters away from a presidential assassination,” he said. “As Americans, we must unite together and move forward from this tragedy.”
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