Sen. Josh Hawley complained about acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe complaining that Secret Service personnel were “disrespected” over their handling of the assassination of presidential candidate Donald Trump. Fair persecution.”
The tense exchange began with Hawley (R-Mo.) demanding accountability for numerous missteps that resulted in the attempted death of Trump and the deaths and injuries of three other rally participants in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The senator focused on a Secret Service agent who chose to leave the AGR building where the gunman camped outside the security perimeter and fired eight rounds before being killed.
“Senator, you’re targeting a specific agent, and I want to understand what the decision-making process was,” Rowe said.
A determined Hawley said he targeted one person to see someone — anyone — responsible for allowing the shooting in the agency, but he publicly questioned why Rowe didn’t just “exonerate all those who made bad judgments.” people’s responsibility”.
At this time the heat was a little higher.
RELATED: Body camera footage raises more questions about Secret Service awareness of Trump assassination threat: ‘This is who he is’
Secret Service Director Under Attack
Senator Hawley began berating various people who made disastrous decisions on the day the former president was nearly murdered.
He questioned whether they had been fired. Not surprisingly, they have not yet been disciplined.
“What else do you need to investigate to know that there was a failure serious enough that someone should be held responsible?” Hawley asked alarmedly.
Rowe responded that he didn’t want to “rush to judgment” – and here we sit nearly three weeks after the tragic event.
“Sir, this could be our Texas textbook depository. I’ve been losing sleep over this for the past 17 days, just like you.
“I will tell you, Senator, I will not rush to judgment, people will be held accountable with integrity, there will be no rush to judgment and [have] People are unfairly persecuted.
Hawley slammed the comments.
“Unjustly persecuted?” he exclaimed. “We already have people dead!”
🚨Total humiliation🚨
Josh Hawley shames US Secret Service chief into admitting Trump was shot in the head with impunity:
“The former president was shot! Fire someone! I can’t believe you said you were ‘perssecuted’… pic.twitter.com/cjdGYvuY0h
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 30, 2024
RELATED: Secret Service noticed suspected Trump gunman hours before he fired first shot, then lost him when he went to get rifle: report
Ted Cruz takes turns at bat
Acting Director Ronald Rowe also insisted to Hawley that the Secret Service was “very transparent and helpful.”
“Your agency is not transparent and helpful, so please don’t go there,” the senator responded.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also criticized Rowe for the agency’s failure to prevent the assassination attempt and subsequent response. He suggested politics had infected the Secret Service.
“Secret Service agents are not involved in politics,” Rowe insisted.
🔥Wow! Ted Cruz Scorched Earth🔥
Ted Cruz asked bluntly, sending the Secret Service director into a visibly panic:
“Did the same person who denied President Trump’s request for additional security also deny Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s security request multiple times?” pic.twitter.com/KWdXIRJf8g
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 30, 2024
Cruz cited reports that the Secret Service rejected requests from Trump’s team for increased security and demanded to know the difference in team size compared to the current president.
“What’s the difference? 2x, 3x, 5x, 10x?” the Texas Republican asked repeatedly, at one point yelling at Rowe “Stop bothering me!” “
Luo had only been in office for a few days, but things didn’t get off to a good start.
