A former Secret Service officer alleged Tuesday that political bias permeates the agency in the wake of the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
in exterior Writing on “The Ingram Angle,” former Secret Service agent Richard Staropoli accused the agency of “allowing personal political sentiment to seep into the highest levels,” suggesting that the bipartisan integrity the service is meant to uphold is eroding. Staropoli further argued that bias can seep down to agents in the field, compromising their protective duties.
“he [Trump] “They say the Secret Service is the most dangerous job, a very dangerous job, but it shouldn't be. That's what the Secret Service is there for, but somewhere along the line they've allowed personal political sentiment to seep into the highest ranks of the Secret Service,” Staropoli told Laura Ingraham. “And then it seeps down to the level of the agents in the field, and the Secret Service is dysfunctional. They're not doing their jobs.”
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During a town hall in Michigan on Tuesday, Trump described campaigning as a “risky business.” According to Trump hosted the town hall just days after Secret Service agents thwarted an assassination attempt at his Florida golf course on Sunday, according to USA Today. The incident follows one in July at a rally in Pennsylvania that left Trump injured and one attendee dead.
Staropoli, a 20-year veteran who served in key roles under both Presidents Clinton and Bush, said he understands the pressures and challenges of the job but is alarmed by recent missteps surrounding Trump's security, saying the Pentagon should have anticipated threats at locations frequented by Trump. (RELATED: Whistleblower says the acting director of the Secret Service 'retaliated' against agents who had security concerns at Trump event)
“The Secret Service, with its $4 billion budget and 7,000 employees, cannot predict or foresee events that will occur on a golf course,” he added. “Not only does the president own a golf course, he has played golf there every Sunday for the past 20 years.”
Staropoli delves into the details of the first assassination attempt, allegedly orchestrated by Thomas Crooks, and highlights CIA missteps throughout the process.
“Add in the fact that the body was exposed too early, that it contaminated the crime scene, and even that Secret Service agents interviewed the family about what was going on,” he added. “They left completely unanswered questions and fueled conspiracy theories that will be talked about 50 or 60 years from now. All of this could have been avoided if an acting director had been in front of the camera from the beginning.”
The Secret Service asked Congress for a budget increase following the second assassination, and during negotiations some lawmakers pushed for the budget increase while others called for new leadership.
The Secret Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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