Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut on Monday criticized the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) response to a request for information about the July assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Blumenthal said Blumenthal told reporters that the Department of Homeland Security has “largely neglected its duties” by repeatedly “thwarting” congressional efforts to obtain documents and related information related to the July 13 assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Blumenthal also said he would be open to issuing subpoenas to the department if it continues to claim a lack of transparency. (Related article: Secret Service calls for increased funding following assassination attempt on President Trump)
“I am borderline angry because the Department of Homeland Security's response has been completely inadequate,” Blumenthal said. “In fact, I believe it has amounted to obstruction in many ways. I believe the Department of Homeland Security should be more forthright not only with me, but with the American people.”
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 30: Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) speaks as Senators Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) look on during a press conference at the Capitol in Washington, DC on July 30, 2024. The Children’s Online Safety Act (KOSA) and Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) 2.0, which impose regulations on technology and social media companies regarding minors’ online features and data use, passed the Senate 91-3. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
“We may need to ask for their further cooperation,” Blumenthal continued, “and we have the authority to do so through compulsory process — in other words, subpoena power.” (Related: 'They lied to us': Mike Lee questions why Secret Service allowed Trump to take the stage after shooter was identified)
20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired shots at the former president from a rooftop just 130 yards away. Many An investigation into the security flaws that led to the incident. Discovered It was reported by a witness, flagged by the Secret Service and identified by a local counter sniper more than an hour before Trump took the stage.
Just two months after the first assassination attempt, suspect Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, allegedly tried to assassinate former President Trump on Sunday while he was playing golf at the Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Fla. Routh was quickly arrested after Secret Service agents spotted him with a “scoped AK-47-type rifle.”
In a statement provided to Fox News, the Department of Homeland Security said it was “committed to working in good faith and to fully cooperate with any appropriate and relevant investigations to determine why the incident on July 13 occurred and how we can prevent it from happening again.” (Related article: “Zero Faith”: Republican congressman worries political bias will hinder investigation into Trump shooting)
“Since July 13, the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Secret Service have provided the Senate with multiple briefings, approximately 2,500 pages of documents, and more than 50 hours of interview transcripts,” the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News. “We have also cooperated with investigations by the House Special Task Force, the Presidentially Directed Independent Committee of Inquiry, the Department of Homeland Security OIG, and the Government Accountability Office. Any assertion that the Department of Homeland Security and the Secret Service have not cooperated is false and does not acknowledge our robust response and ongoing efforts to respond to Congressional oversight requests and our clear commitment to accountability for the events of July 13.”
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