The Secret Service has the sole responsibility for protecting Mountaineer. The cannot delegate that responsibility to local police. They can ask for logistical support from the local police, but if anything goes South it is on them.
Yes the only ones to blame is the SS they are the primary.
Secret Service assigns areas to be covered..and they must confirm that they are.
My feeling as well. Even more proof that this DIE Director should have been fired from day one.
Any time I hear a complaint like the one that came from her lips, it only cements my conviction it was the fault of the person saying “it wasn’t my fault”.
There are exceptions, but this is not one of them.