Legislators said an interim report is expected to be released on what they have learned so far about the shooting.
Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut predicted Americans will be “appalled” and “shocked” when legislators release their interim report on the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump and the security failures of those involved in the protection of the Republican presidential nominee.
Ronald Rowe, acting U.S. Secret Service Director, provided senators with an update Thursday on the investigation into the failed attempted assassination in a closed-door meeting.
“I think the American people are going to be shocked, astonished, and appalled by what we will report to them about the failures by the Secret Service in this assassination attempt on the former president,” said Blumenthal. “But I think they also ought to be appalled and astonished by the failure of the Department of Homeland Security to be more forthcoming, to be appalled and astonished by the failure of the Department of Homeland Security to be more forthcoming, to be as candid and frank, as it should be to them in terms of providing information.”
Blumenthal didn’t address any specifics about what he learned during Thursday’s meeting. Despite his statements, other legislators refused to comment on how the U.S. public could react to their report.
“It will be coming out shortly. And it’ll only be an interim report because there’s a lot more information that we need to find,” said Democrat Senator Gary Peters of Michigan. “And we hope once this report comes out and we can get the additional information necessary to have a complete report of what happened, as well as steps of what we need to do in the future to make sure that this never happens.”
Legislators want to ensure the public understands the report will be bipartisan
GOP Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said legislators want to ensure the public understands that the report will be conducted in a bipartisan fashion. He also said there was some frustration with Rowe on Thursday.
“So, he’s making the commitment to, you know, provide more information,” said Johnson. “But we’re hoping to get this preliminary report out before this work period. So again, we’re on pretty tight time constraints. But again, it’s important people realize we are dedicated to a bipartisan product.”
The Secret Service has been the focus of immense scrutiny over the communication and security lapses leading up to the July 13 shooting of former President Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Assistant Director Michael Plati, from the agency’s Office of Protective Operations, who was in charge of the section responsible for planning the protection of President Biden, Trump, Ohio Senator JD Vance, Vice President Kamala Harris, and others, is ending his tenure there Friday, his 27th anniversary at the agency.
The Secret Service maintains Plati wasn’t asked to resign or retire, although sources involved at the highest levels of the internal investigation stated he was encouraged to retire early.
