Posted on 08/03/2024 12:16:51 AM PDT by John Semmens
In testimony on the July 13 attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe told the Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, "what I saw made me ashamed. As a career law enforcement officer, and a twenty-five-year veteran with the Secret Service, I cannot defend the cascade of security failures that occurred. I accept full responsibility."
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo) said "I have heard from a whistleblower that you personally cut the security resources available to cover the Butler rally and have retaliated against agents who expressed security concerns regarding these cuts. Is this true?"
"I have already said that I'm ashamed and have taken full responsibility," Rowe replied. "What more do you want?"
"We've already heard Director Kimberly Cheatle say she took 'full responsibility' and she resigned," Hawley said. "Are you resigning?"
"No." Rowe said. "You've already gotten your pound of flesh. Someone has to stay on to provide continuity of leadership. If everyone who had a hand in this fiasco resigned there'd be no one left to answer the phones."
"Isn't the Counter Surveillance Division (CSD) normally sent to do an onsite evaluation for the type of event the Trump campaign held?" Hawley asked. "My whistleblower says that if personnel from CSD had been present at the rally, the gunman would have been handcuffed in the parking lot after being spotted with a rangefinder. Why weren't they there that day?"
"We don't have unlimited resources," Rowe pointed out. "As former Director Cheatle has mentioned, we also had to provide security for the First Lady at another event in Pennsylvania on the same day. Protecting her was considered, and still would be considered, a higher priority than protecting any private citizen."
"The Pennsylvania police say they were expecting a pre-event briefing, but never got one?" the Senator said. "Why not?"
"Look, I've already admitted there was a cascade of failures that day--insufficient security personnel, poor communication, confusion over who was supposed to shoot who, allowing Trump to walk into the killing zone after we knew a potential shooter was spotted at the site," Rowe conceded. "It's a miracle that Trump wasn't killed. Can't we just be satisfied that he was darn lucky he didn't have his brains blown out?"
"Why were the communications recordings among Secret Service agents at the event erased?" Hawley wondered.
"It's standard procedure." Rowe said. "We're trying to be efficient with the taxpayers' money by reusing the recording space."
"I can understand that might apply when there are no incidents worthy of note at an event, but shouldn't every piece of evidence--word, videos, photos, witnesses be preserved when someone gets shot?" the Senator suggested.
"I don't disagree with you about that, but as I've already said, there were so many failures that day," Rowe reminded him. "Mistakenly erasing those recordings was one of them. I'm sorry to say that we may never know the full truth about what happened."
If you missed any of the other Semi-News/Semi-Satire posts you can find them at...
https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Opinion/366336-2024-08-03-semi-news-semi-satire-august-4-2024-edition.htm
ping
The president’s wife IS a private citizen.
Perhaps Congress can properly finance this Secret Service that’s been having to delegate critical tasks to local law enforcement too long in order to perform their duties. The lack of all being on the same frequencies almost killed President Trump and may have cost that fire chief his life, what with the LEO sniper waiting for an approval order. Expecting a five-foot tall woman to shield a six-foot tall man was also ridiculous.
Unlike the the DEI the usurping regime hired Mr. Rowe worked his way up from within and displayed courage to “throw himself on the grenade” to appease congressional wrath. He should be made Director and given the resources he needs.
As the man in charge, I of course accept full responsibility... but not the blame. Let me explain the difference. People who are to blame lose their jobs. People who are responsible do not.
Richard Nixon: A Fantasy by David Frye (1973)
Link to audio of the album, starting at the above quote.
-PJ
“The president’s wife IS a private citizen.”
^
Conversely, Trump is no ordinary private citizen...
I wasn’t all that surprised to hear Rowe state and reiterate so much of what we already know and what is reasonable to expect from the Secret Service.
Blah blah blah deep state set up
Rowe’s tone was completely disrespectful to The People’s representative. “You got your pound of flesh”? Totally inappropriate.
Croccodile tears! That bassturd isn’t ashamed; he’s disappointed, that Trump wasn’t killed. And he won’t resign because he intends to make sure it doesn’t fail the next time they make their move. JMHO.
Why is he accepting responsibility and not the woman who was in charge?
The one who resigned?
He falls on his sword without, actually, you know, falling on his sword…
"No." Rowe said. "You've already gotten your pound of flesh. Someone has to stay on to provide continuity of leadership. If everyone who had a hand in this fiasco resigned there'd be no one left to answer the phones."
That's kind of the idea. All of your incompetent, or 'complicit' asses need to be fired.
Will he be ashamed if they make him wear an orange jumpsuit at Supermax?
Hawley said. "Are you resigning?"
"No." Rowe said. "You've already gotten your pound of flesh. Someone has to stay on to provide continuity of leadership. If everyone who had a hand in this fiasco resigned there'd be no one left to answer the phones."
LOL!
She’s practically the acting president at this point.
Absolutely superb work, John.
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