Question for the Secret Service: Who Screwed Up?

Red State ^ | 07/14/2024 | Ward Clark

[SeekAndFind]

After any such event as the one we witnessed on Saturday, in which a lunatic attempted to take the life of a former president of the United States, there are going to be questions. A lot of those questions will be aimed at the Secret Service - and at the Biden administration.

The primary question will be this: "Who screwed up?" And the answers, at least, the answers that the general public sees, are bound to be interesting as the investigation proceeds. But there are some things we know now.

When Trump does events in New York, the NYPD ensures that he has nearly the same level of protection that President Biden does — including securing sight lines around any major events where a sniper could fire from.

Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, crawled on the roof of a building within easy rifle range of Trump — about 130 yards, a bit longer than a football field — and opened fire before being killed seconds later by Secret Service snipers, authorities said.

“The American people deserve to know the truth,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) declared shortly after the tragic shooting, referring to apparent security lapses leading up to the assassination attempt.

The Speaker is of course correct; a lot of us will be demanding answers. We'll want to see answers to questions like:

• How was the shooter able to close within 160 yards with a rifle, to take a visible position on a rooftop where people in the crowd saw him, with no apparent reaction by the Secret Service until he opened fire?
• How was the shooter able to approach the area with what are reported to have been explosives in his vehicle?
• Who was in charge of former President Trump's Service detail while this was going on?

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See Related: REPORTS: Trump Requested Heightened Security Resources From Secret Service for Weeks, Was Denied 

Authorities Reportedly Find Explosives in Trump Shooter's Vehicle

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Former Assistant FBI Director Chris Swecker appeared on Fox News Sunday morning and called the incident a "security breakdown."

There can be no doubt that there were some lapses. And is it possible that one of those may be laid at the feet of the Biden administration? The Biden-appointed Director of the Secret Service, Kimberly A. Cheatle, has made Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) a priority of the Service rather than just hiring the best, toughest, most dedicated, and, yes, best shots. Could this have resulted in a sub-par member of the Service being on the detail of a former president?

Video after the shooting shows numerous female Secret Service agents struggling in a crowd filled with larger men. One fumbles with her gun, while another adjusts her sunglasses.

In 2017, a Secret Service agent lost her job after stating on social media that she “wouldn’t take a bullet” for Trump, who at the time was a candidate for office.

In May of last year, Cheatle stated goals to have 30% female recruits by 2030. “I’m very conscious as I sit in this chair now, of making sure that we need to attract diverse candidates and ensure that we are developing and giving opportunities to everybody in our workforce, and particularly women,” Cheatle said.

There was at least one female agent in Donald Trump's immediate detail on Saturday. We see her directly in front of the camera, and full credit - she appears to be doing her job, presenting herself as a physical barrier between any shooter and her principal. She also presents a rather smaller barrier than her male counterparts. That's significant, and it's not sexist to point that out; it's simply a fact, as anyone with eyes to see can determine for themselves. This agent, mind you, does not appear to lack for courage - just size.

In the coming weeks, Director Cheatle and the Service in general will be expected to answer some tough questions. There appear to have been some major tactical lapses on the day of the attempted assassination. There appear to have been some rather bad hiring priorities implemented by the Biden-appointed Director. And there will be people in Congress, the media, and the American people that will be expecting answers because whoever screwed up in this instance almost caused the death of a former and almost-certainly-future president of the United States - that sad fate having been missed, literally, by a whisker.

[GMMC0987]

All I know about sniping a speaker at an outdoor event is what I’ve seen in the movies. Even I would have put someone on that roof.

[blackdog]

Who screwed up? The shooter not getting enough range time, that’s who screwed up.

[SamAdams76]

Lot of DEI hires in the Secret Service lately, including making a woman who used to guard potato chips and soda pop for Frito Lay the Director of the whole dang thing.

I don't want to hear about how she served in the Secret Service prior. Fact is, Biden hired her out of PepsiCo back in 2022 and put her in charge of the whole operation. Inexcusable.

[House Atreides]

Who screwed up? The “them” cop who backed off after encountering the armed shooter without taking him down. The SS snipers who didn’t take the assassin out as soon as he got on the roof (which was right in front of the SS snipers) with a rifle. Many others in Secret Service and FBI “leadership”.

[ansel12]

The Secret Service didn’t play any real role in this except for the eventual sniper shooting of the guy from close range, other than that they did nothing for security, preparedness and prevention and merely handled the aftermath since Trump was safe once he ducked down, they didn’t even manage to keep him ducked down or shielded against possible backup assassins.

Sort of like cops showing up after the crime and making a big show with no actual effect or influence.

[ansel12]

That cop should have been shooting at the sniper, he didn’t have to aim or raise his head but just toss bullets in the general direction of the killer and create some distracting noise and chaos, and draw attention to the building.

[House Atreides]

True dat!

[eyedigress]

“They” Cop on the ladder should have fired.

At least a shot in the ass.

Hell, a few shots to the dirt would have stopped it.

Whatever “they” cop is should not have a badge.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“ How was the shooter able to close within 160 yards with a rifle, to take a visible position on a rooftop where people in the crowd saw him, with no apparent reaction by the Secret Service until he opened fire?”

AND…Did the SS or Police Officer on the roof acquire the shooter Target before the shooter fired? It sure appears he had a lock on the shooter because he hilled him the instant he opened fire. Do the ROE prevent the SS / Police from taking out an imminent threat when that threat is in a secured /no-entry zone? That imminent threat was 1) prone, 2) had a rifle, 3) the rifle was aimed at Trump, and 4) was in the restricted zone. To this layman, it seems that that combination should have triggered the ROE to immediately and proactively neutralize the threat.

Did the SS / Officer need to get permission to shoot the assassin before the assassin opened fire?

Yet, the SS today said “our plans for Milwaukee are sound and don’t need to be changed.”

[MayflowerMadam]

Some guy on TV just said that this was the first time in the job for all the SS Agents there (if I heard him correctly). Normally I would find this heard to believe, but after seeing that Keystone Cops theater yesterday, maybe...

[Fungi]

Silly question. You really think anyone is interested in finding out?

[alternatives?]

Just like the withdraw from Afghanistan. Nobody is at fault. The establishment at its finest.

[laplata]

“Who screwed up? The shooter not getting enough range time, that’s who screwed up”.

You’re not very bright at all.

[tennmountainman]

Whoever dispatched the SS DEI Team to protect Trump.

[joe fonebone]

Some lapses????
SOME LAPSES!!!???!!!?
The failures of the s.s. are so basic, that it defies explanation.
President Trump is 6’3” tall.
Let’s put some 5’5” agents out there.
The crowd not only saw but pointed out the shooter moving into position.
All s.s. snipers were on the same rooftop.
That rooftop was in what should have been a secure area.
Little agents blocked the way for the larger agents to get to him.
The smaller agents could not even holster their sidearms.

The entire leadership, and this entire team, need to go away.
Yesterday.

[dragnet2]

This was a complete security failure.

So much so it appears to be a setup to eliminate Trump.

[coalminersson]

why was trump allowed to take the stage after a man with a rifle was on a roof and had not been detained after two witnesses reported him.

[where's_the_Outrage?]

The 1st thing that should happed is the Secret Service Agent in charge should be fired, there are no acceptable excuses. He (she) F’d up and their head needs to roll immediately.

Further investigation should identify other culprits.

[FateAmenableToChange]

This is the best and most important take I’ve seen.