Congressional delegation tours site of Trump rally shooting
BUTLER, Pa. (KDKA) -- Members of Congress descended on the Butler County Farm Show Grounds on Monday to inspect the site where 20-year-old Thomas Crooks attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump.
The site visit comes in anticipation of another grilling of Secret Service Director Kimberley Cheatle on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.
Members of the House Homeland Security Committee said they came looking for answers, but said it may have raised even more questions about the incident.
A caravan of committee members wended onto the grounds and began inspecting the sites in question. Some even went on the roof of the building where Crooks shot and wounded the former president.
"We have a lot of questions," Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said.
The committee wants to know why the perimeter of the grounds wasn't secured. Why were warnings about a suspicious sighting of Crooks not heeded, and how did Crooks get easy access to the roof?
While the visit yielded more questions than answers, committee members said some things were made clear.
"It's way too close. Being up on the rooftop, looking where the president was is so close for a sniper," Rep. McCaul added.
They also made particular mention of the water tower behind the building, which they believe would have yielded a government counter-sniper a panoramic view of the site. Others blamed the security failure on the Secret Service, which they said should have marshaled local law enforcement to cover this and other vulnerabilities.
"There are things here that are obvious. Obvious failure of the Secret Service, and I put on the Secret Service because they're responsible for advising, telling, and directing all the other agencies on what needs to be done to secure the site," said Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Florida).
Democratic members of the committee said Cheatle is central to the investigation, and they want to question her. They said she would be held responsible at the conclusion of the investigation.