Lawmaker wants Secret Service focused on guarding leaders, not financial crimes

Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., wants to relieve the Secret Service of its duty to investigate financial crimes and focus the agency solely on protecting political leaders. Torres introduced separate proposals that would not only narrow the agency’s responsibilities, but also expand its requirements for ensuring the safety of those it's protecting.

The Secret Service was created in 1865 to investigate financial crimes under the Department of the Treasury. It was not tasked with protecting presidents full time until 1902.

To this day, the Secret Service has two missions . First, to provide protection and investigative services to ensure the safety and security of protectees, key locations and events of national significance. Second, to protect the integrity of U.S. currency and investigate crimes against the U.S. financial system.

Torres' bill would put an end to that and require all financial crimes assets to be transferred to a different agency or department.

The lawmaker also introduced a separate bill that would create new requirements for setting up safety perimeters.

The bill states the director of the Secret Service shall be responsible for ensuring a minimum secured perimeter of 500 yards, or the firing range of firearms likely to be used in an assassination attempt. It would also require the director to ensure all elevated positions are secured.

The bill specifically states its the director’s job to ensure these perimeters meet the standards. That’s significant because it was revealed during congressional testimony that former Director Kimberly Cheatle did not review those plans.

Here is what Cheatle said during an exchange with Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, at a hearing in July.

Rep. Michael Cloud: Did you review the security plans for this event?

Former Director Kimberly Cheatle: I personally do not review security plans for events that take place across the country.

Rep. Michael Cloud: Any of them? Who’s the top level official who reviews the security plans?

Former Director Kimberly Cheatle: There’s a number of people that review security plans as they unfold.

Rep. Michael Cloud: Who is ultimately responsible for signing off on a security plan?

Former Director Kimberly Cheatle: It's a conjunction of personnel. There are people on the ground, there are supervisors on the detail, there are people at headquarters.

Rep. Michael Cloud: So there's not one person who says, "Okay, this is good, it’s copacetic. We're going for it."

Former Director Kimberly Cheatle: I think much in the way we build our security plans...

Rep. Michael Cloud: No doubt there's teams working different aspects of it. But ultimately, isn't there an individual who signs off on the the plan?

Former Director Kimberly Cheatle: Much like how we design our security plans, they're multi layered.

Rep. Michael Cloud: So there's no accountability.

Former Director Kimberly Cheatle: There is accountability.

If Torres’ bills pass, the changes would be implemented over the course of a couple months.

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