(DailyAnswer.org) – Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle faced heavy scrutiny at the Republican National Convention on July 17, as Republican senators confronted her and demanded answers regarding the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. In video footage of the event, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso could be heard shouting “stonewalling” at Cheatle as she walked through the convention center. Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, Oklahoma Senator James Lankford and North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer also confronted Cheatle.
In a longer video of her being challenged by senators, Cheatle said it was not the right place to discuss the issue, which prompted an angry backlash from the senators. Cheatle was heavily criticized by conservatives over the security measures at the Pennsylvania rally, at which volunteer fire chief Corey Comperatore was shot dead and two others were critically injured.
Republicans were especially frustrated with Cheatle’s claim that the rooftop from which Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at Trump was left unguarded by Secret Service agents because it was too sloped. Republican Florida Representative Carlos Gimenez said Cheatle’s comments were the “final straw”, and claimed that even at the age of 70, he could run around on the rooftop “all day”.
As she faced questions from the House committee on oversight and accountability on July 22, Cheatle confessed that the agency failed in its attempts to protect Trump from harm. She insisted, however, that she was still the best person for the role despite Republicans demanding her resignation. Cheatle announced her resignation the next day.
Cheatle was also criticized for failing to answer questions; when asked if the agency had handed over audio and video footage of the incident, she replied that she would need to “get back to” the committee. Republican South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace told her she was “full of sh*t” and accused her of being dishonest.
Trump was considerably more forgiving than some Republicans following the shooting, and met with Cheatle, who he said was “very nice”. He suggested that someone had given Cheatle “false information” regarding the angle of the roof, and noted how close the shooter was to him at 130 yards.
Cheatle has stated that the buck stops with her, and vowed as director of the Secret Service to ensure a review is carried out to better provide needed resources to the agency’s personnel. In a statement following her confrontation with Republican senators at the RNC, the Secret Service stressed Cheatle’s commitment to transparency.
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