U.S. Secret Service director agrees to testify to House lawmakers after Trump assassination attempt
Washington — U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has agreed to testify to the House Oversight Committee as Republicans ramp up efforts to investigate the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
The committee's Republican chairman, Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, subpoenaed Cheatle on Wednesday for her testimony, requesting her appearance before lawmakers on July 22.
In a letter to Comer on Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security offered Cheatle's testimony on July 25, July 26 or the following week. The July 22 date clashed with her "travel and operational commitments." But a committee spokesperson said the hearing would take place as scheduled on July 22, adding that "Americans demand and deserve answers" from Cheatle about the assassination attempt and the Secret Service's "egregious failures."
The letter to Comer, which was obtained by CBS News, said the department was "disappointed" the committee "rushed to issue a subpoena" because Secret Service officials have been briefing members of Congress and their staff in recent days.
"Director Cheatle welcomes the opportunity to testify before the Committee," the letter said.
The letter also said the department and Secret Service "share your concern over the appalling events that occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, last weekend and are committed to doing all we can to get to the bottom of what happened, understand all the facts, and take the appropriate action to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again."
A number of lawmakers have raised questions about how a gunman was able to get within striking distance of the Republican presidential nominee. The shooter, stationed on a nearby rooftop, fired several shots, grazing Trump's right his right ear, killing one rally attendee and seriously injuring two others.
Calls for Cheatle's resignation have intensified, with House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, adding their names to the list.
Johnson said Wednesday he will create a special bipartisan task force to investigate the shooting. On top of a number of congressional investigations into the incident, the agency is also facing an inquiry by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general. President Biden said on Sunday he was ordering an independent review of how security was handled at the rally.
A number of lawmakers left a Wednesday briefing with the Secret Service saying it shed little light on the apparent security lapses.
— Michael Kaplan contributed to this report.