As Congress conducts hearings and attempts to get to the bottom of the numerous Secret Service failures that led to the assassination of former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania last month, intelligence officials who should knew basic things like who was in charge and how to ensure coordination with local authorities, but instead claim they knew nothing and act like the Keystone Cops. But a fresh bill in the House of Representatives could be just the thing to prevent another massive collapse of the Secret Service.
Our country was just millimeters away from an assassination attempt on the president.
My bill ensures protection for all presidential candidates and requires Senate confirmation of the Director of the Secret Service.
USSS directors MUST be competent and non-political.
— Representative August Pfluger (@RepPfluger) 5 August 2024
Representative August Pfluger (R-TX) and five other Republicans in the House of Representatives support a bill that to subject the Director of the Secret Service to a Senate confirmation process. The relevant committee would then vote on the nominee, followed by a vote in the full House. A similar bill was introduced in the Senate last month that would impose a 10-year term limit on the director’s post. Currently, the Director of the Secret Service is appointed by the President. In addition, the bill would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide a security rationale to presidential and vice presidential nominees within 14 days of the decision.
The Secret Service has rightly been under intense scrutiny since July 13, when Trump and two rally attendees were shot and killed, leaving one of them dead. The agency is now facing brutal questions from the House and Senate about how a 20-year-old boy was able to get onto a rooftop just outside a secure perimeter, with both police and rally attendees spotting him before he could fire multiple shots. Pfluger was direct and to the point about the need for the bill, saying:
“In today’s highly divisive political climate, the Secretary of DHS owes all presidential candidates a fair, non-political, timely and transparent review of USSS protections. Our country was just millimeters away from an assassination attempt on the president. We must ensure adequate security for all presidential candidates – regardless of their party affiliation.”
Pfluger went on to say that Senate confirmation would ensure that nominees are “capable and apolitical.” The recent history of the Secret Service, the primary agency charged with protecting the President of the United States and other high-ranking officials under the leadership of former Director Kimberly Cheatle, is rather sketchy. Trump had been demanding additional security measures for about two years before the shooting and was rejected, the agency on the grounds that there was a lack of resources. The Secret Service had also rejected independent presidential elections Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was given protection even though his father and uncle had been assassinated.
Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) have introduced the Protect Act, which would require Senate confirmation for all future USSS directors. This would no longer make the appointment a presidential decision, but would bring it into line with other federal law enforcement laws.
— Robbie Mouton (@mcgmouton57) July 27, 2024
This would no longer be a presidential decree and would bring the organization into line with other federal agencies. It would also promote transparency and accountability.
Cheatle, a Biden appointee was forced to resign ten days later the assassination after a disastrous appearance before the House Oversight Committee. Cheatle was replaced by acting Director of the Secret Service Ronald Rowe, who was recently subjected to a similar interrogation when he and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees. Things went about as well for Rowe as they did for Cheatle.
The Secret Service obviously needs reform, and if Donald Trump is re-elected, that would certainly happen. But the FBI leads the investigation in the assassination attempt on Trump. A well-known name is being discussed as a possible FBI director in a second Trump administration. Radio talk show host Dan Bongino is a former intelligence agent whose name has surfaced on social media. In a recent interview with the Daily Signal, he said: was asked about the possible career changeBongino stated: “I would only do it if President Trump personally wanted it… I never imagined ever returning to government… you know, there comes a time when your country matters more…”
The idea of not only ensuring accountability but also ensuring that those charged with protecting the president are the best qualified and trained people possible appears to be a bipartisan concern, thankfully. It is not yet known if and when the bill will be voted on.
I know I can’t be the only one who would like to see this man as Director of National Intelligence.
He is definitely qualified.
If I were in charge of hiring…
I would definitely offer the job to Dan Bongino
.@dbongino pic.twitter.com/QZtk9g9108— Penny Lane (@Penny_FL13) July 23, 2024
