Senators Press Rowe on Secret Service Failures
Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. appeared before a joint Senate committee hearing on Tuesday to address the catastrophic failures that led to the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Rowe, while acknowledging the mistakes made by the Secret Service, shifted some blame to local law enforcement agencies, accusing them of leaving a blind spot that the shooter exploited.
Rowe’s Defense and Senators’ Criticism
Rowe’s testimony was marked by a stark contrast to his predecessor, Kimberly Cheatle, who resigned after a disastrous congressional panel appearance. Rowe repeatedly raised his voice, vowing to protect his agency’s leaders from being “unfairly persecuted.” He argued that local law enforcement agencies working with the Secret Service made crucial errors, particularly by abandoning their posts, which left the shooter unnoticed.
“We assumed that the state and locals had it,” Rowe told the committee, a statement that drew sharp criticism from Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who remarked, “Those assumptions can be lethal.”
Graphics and Accountability
Rowe presented graphics to demonstrate the limited visibility that Secret Service snipers had of the shooter, who was positioned 150 yards away on a rooftop. He emphasized that local police could have easily spotted the shooter by simply “looking left,” had they remained at their posts. Despite this, Rowe defended the Secret Service sniper who ultimately neutralized the shooter, describing him as a “friend” and not personally responsible for the security lapse. This defense led to pushback from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who cautioned against letting personal relationships interfere with accountability.
Calls for Accountability
Despite Rowe’s vigorous defense, senators expressed frustration at his refusal to identify specific officials responsible for the security failures. Republicans on the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees pressed Rowe to name those who allowed Trump to take the stage that day and left the rooftop unguarded. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) insisted, “Somebody has got to be fired. Nothing is going to change until somebody loses their job.”
Ongoing Reviews and Investigations
Rowe indicated that the Office of Professional Responsibility is currently reviewing the actions taken before and during the rally, but he declined to preempt these reviews by naming specific individuals. His stance led to a tense exchange with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who demanded immediate accountability. Rowe responded, “You’re asking me, senator, to completely make a rush to judgment. People will be held accountable, and I will do so with integrity and not rush to judgment and [make] people unfairly persecuted.”
FBI Findings
The hearing also featured FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate, who revealed that the bureau had found a social media account possibly linked to the shooter, which contained antisemitic and anti-immigrant views. However, Abbate’s testimony was largely overshadowed by the contentious exchanges between Rowe and the senators.
Conclusion
The hearing highlighted deep frustrations among senators regarding the Secret Service’s performance and the need for accountability. Despite Rowe’s defense and explanations, the committee members remained focused on the urgent need for identifying and addressing the failures that allowed the assassination attempt to occur.
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