The House of Representatives has unanimously approved a resolution to establish a bipartisan task force to investigate the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, which left one person dead and three others injured. The 416-0 vote came a day after Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned following her testimony before the House Oversight Committee, which was widely criticized as uninformative.
The task force, which will consist of 13 members, including seven Republicans and six Democrats, will be responsible for probing the security failures that allowed a 20-year-old man to shoot at Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The incident has raised serious questions about the Secret Service’s protocols and practices, and lawmakers from both parties have expressed a desire to get to the bottom of the matter.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced the creation of the task force, which is expected to provide a thorough examination of the events leading up to the shooting. The House Freedom Caucus had previously expressed opposition to the inclusion of Homeland Security Committee ranking member Bennie Thompson (D-MS) on the task force, citing his role in leading the DISGRACED Former Protectees Act. The DISGRACED Former Protectees Act terminates Secret Service protection for individuals who otherwise qualify for it upon sentencing following conviction for a Federal or State felony.
However, Thompson himself has stated that he has no interest in serving on the task force, telling The Hill that he “never expressed an interest” in participating. The task force is expected to provide a comprehensive report on its findings, which will likely shed light on the security failures that contributed to the attempted assassination.
Lawmakers from both parties have expressed a sense of urgency in addressing the issue, with Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-CA) calling the assassination attempt a “serious issue” that requires a thorough investigation. “We feel that we should do what we can to get to the bottom of it and make sure protocols and practices, as well as accountability, are held throughout the Secret Service,” Aguilar said.
