PA - Assassination attempt, shooting injures former POTUS Donald Trump, leaves 1 spectator deceased two in critical condition, 13 July 2024 #4

[Ruminations]

In the Reagan assainatioon attempt, the then president had given a speech in an indoor venue considered particularly safe, but then walked along a rope line of press and public towards his limo.

The secret service made the decision to allow the president to forgo a bullet proof vest because the venue was considered especially safe, and then let him walk very near an unscreened crowd. The security errors were allowing the walk without a vest, and allowing the crowd so close without screening.

The ss agent who may have literally saved Regan's head was celebrated. Most security error hearings were held in closed session. And Mr. Baker, permanently disabled by that gun crime, had a gun control measure named after him.

Today, we call out agents for happening to be female (!), question the head of the SS publicly, which is mostly a good thing. Unfortunately, because it was public, some of the questioners were looking for a crude sound bite more than information which diluted the quality of the fact finding.

Hopefully, there will be productive steps taken to prevent an attempt like this from happening again.

MOO

 

[Fabled Automatic]

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns

Edit: I see this is already posted. I'll leave my post for the folks like me who just can't wake up today.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815784437608521951

https://twitter.com/x/status/1815780662734979584

 

[Waxahachie1]

Article on the whistleblower who claims the local LE who was assigned to be on the roof left his spot because he thought it was too hot.

Whistleblower allegedly claims officers diverted from security plan at Trump Butler rally due to heat

Sen. Josh Hawley from Missouri sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Secretary explaining the whistleblower’s claims.

www.wtae.com

This is starting to clarify things for me. This tells me these things might have happened:

• local LE made mistakes and were negligent in covering the outer areas of the event site
• they didn't communicate these changes or share information with Secret Service
• most of the critical changes and mistakes happened in the minutes before Trump went on stage
• SS wasn't aware the local LE had abandoned his post on the roof
• SS wasn't aware that local LE were clustered inside the building instead of guarding it on the outside
• SS possibly wasn't made aware of the presence of the suspicious person in time to postpone Trump going onstage

WRT the current investigation, being conducted by FBI

• All the people who might have been involved in or aware of the mistakes are all pointing fingers and covering themselves and their friends
• FBI is possibly being given false information from local LE, hearing conflicting stories, so they aren't confident giving a lot of specific information to SS or Congress.
• FBI may not be certain who is telling the truth and will have to rely on video, audio, digital communication etc. evidence to sort out many details.
• Conflicting stories from local LE might be making it hard to know how the killer got on the roof, ladders, etc. JMO, there was also poor communication among local LE and to SS.

It's going to take a while to sort out these LE witness accounts, but they will. SS is not conducting the investigation, its the responsibility of the FBI who calls on other agencies to help, provide info.

JMO, this has been my first best guess for a while, especially seeing video of bystanders trying to alert local LE about the killer on the roof and the report that local LE were grouped inside the building with the killer on the roof. WTH were they doing inside the building. They need to be outside. That's unusual.

I don't think anything suspicious happened, they just weren't doing what they were told to do by SS. These mistakes were made in the critical moments before Trump went onstage, so most SS probably weren't aware of the risks. JMO

My instinct is that the SS had a plan in place that relied on local LE to cover this roof. The plan was not properly executed and the SS was not made aware of that in time to cover before Crooks arrived at the vulnerable spot - by dumb luck, just at the opportune moment.

I think Cheatle could not respond to many of the questions in part because conflicting and confusing accounts of the incident had not been sorted out.

Congress knew of the limitations on her ability to answer during an investigation, and proceeded with a premature hearing anyway. The sole purpose of the hearing - predetermined in advance - was to force her resignation.

 

[Elley Mae]

The number one biggest mistake was not including those buildings in the perimeter.

150 yards away.
Jmo

 

[Waxahachie1]

The number one biggest mistake was not including those buildings in the perimeter.

150 yards away.
Jmo

The assumption being that local LE can never be relied on to do this job, correct?

 

[Eli9]

Just my MOO but I think if Cheatle had gotten ahead of this, held a presser even if just to state that there will be an investigation and condolences to the victims cooler minds may have prevailed. Instead she, nor any representative from her former office (that I am aware of) showed up to the presser, and instead decided to give a TV interview with some questionable responses to a few questions asked. She had to have been aware of the growing unrest towards the way she was publicly handling the aftermath of this event. JMOO

 

[Elley Mae]

The assumption being that local LE can never be relied on to do this job, correct?

The Secret Service constructed a security plan which consisted of three concentric rings of protection – the inner, middle, and outer perimeter – which are protected by Secret Service personnel in conjunction with our law enforcement partners.

https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Director-Cheatle-Written-Testimony-Statement-FINAL.pdf

 

[Waxahachie1]

Just my MOO but I think if Cheatle had gotten ahead of this, held a presser even if just to state that there will be an investigation and condolences to the victims cooler minds may have prevailed. Instead she, nor any representative from her former office (that I am aware of) showed up to the presser, and instead decided to give a TV interview with some questionable responses to a few questions asked. She had to have been aware of the growing unrest towards the way she was publicly handling the aftermath of this event. JMO

Cheatle did not demonstrate any competence in public relations. No question or doubt about that. In the circumstances, that proved to be an important competency. It might be an unusual expectation for a Secret Service director but it will probably be a criterion from now on.

 

[Betty P]

My instinct is that the SS had a plan in place that relied on local LE to cover this roof. The plan was not properly executed and the SS was not made aware of that in time to cover before Crooks arrived at the vulnerable spot - by dumb luck, just at the opportune moment.

I think Cheatle could not respond to many of the questions in part because conflicting and confusing accounts of the incident had not been sorted out.

Congress knew of the limitations on her ability to answer during an investigation, and proceeded with a premature hearing anyway. The sole purpose of the hearing - predetermined in advance - was to force her resignation.

I suspect this, too. She ends up being the only person forced to resign, even though she wasn't at the location. Will Congress let the rest of the investigation continue w/o holding anyone else accountable?

 

[Betty P]

The Secret Service constructed a security plan which consisted of three concentric rings of protection – the inner, middle, and outer perimeter – which are protected by Secret Service personnel in conjunction with our law enforcement partners.

https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Director-Cheatle-Written-Testimony-Statement-FINAL.pdf

Where was the Director of SS in those concentric rings of protection?
Was anyone else within those concentric rings of protection forced to resign or otherwise disciplined?
Is there any interest in finding out what went wrong at the Butler, PA or is everyone satisfied with the outcome?

Pardon, but I have the feeling the Director is being made a scapegoat because she is a woman in a position of authority. JMO

 

[Elley Mae]

Where was the Director of SS in those concentric rings of protection?
Was anyone else within those concentric rings of protection forced to resign or otherwise disciplined?

Pardon, but I have the feeling the Director is being made a scapegoat because she is a woman in a position of authority. JMO

Yes and sadly she failed.

This comes from a woman.


Jmo

 

[layer]

The assumption being that local LE can never be relied on to do this job, correct?

Apparently no one could be trusted that day except the agents that personally shielded the president with their own bodies. The cascading series of failures are so vast and so aggregious that you can't blame folks for thinking there might be more than just incompetence here. The veil of secrecy put forward by the SS head made things exponentially worse. We need answers now.

 

[Arkay]

I suspect this, too. She ends up being the only person forced to resign, even though she wasn't at the location. Will Congress let the rest of the investigation continue w/o holding anyone else accountable?

When I was young, my dad was the big boss in a federal agency, at one particular location that was open 24 hours. He had about 1000 people under him.

On occasion he’d go there in the middle of the night to check on the night shift.

One day he was called in by the head of the agency because there was an attempted robbery at night. My father had been at home, asleep, when that happened, yet as the head guy of that particular building he had to answer for whatever went wrong that night.

It comes with the territory. If you are the boss then you are responsible for procedures in place, whether you are present during an incident or not. Male or female is irrelevant.

My father didn’t get fired, no one was injured and the robbery was foiled, but he was considered partially responsible.

He’s nearly 92 now and that still weighs on him, one night in a 57 year career.

IMO, if we as women demand equal rights and equal pay and equal opportunities, we also bear equal responsibility when the buck stops with us.

JMO and JME

 

[Ruminations]

Yes and sadly she failed.

This comes from a woman.


Jmo

What do you think the director herself did that contributed to this crime?

I'm not necessarily against her resignation being that it's practically in the job description of appointed Director of Any Agency to take the fall <modsnip: Please do not circumvent Websleuths board profanity filters>

But if it's for misogyny or if it's for intellectual laziness, it's short-sighted to think her leaving the agency is going to make any difference. So if there was a SS failure, and there was, and we don't want it repeated, and we don't, something a little more complex than kicking the director on her way out the door has to happen.

MOO

 

[Betty P]

Yes and sadly she failed.

This comes from a woman.


Jmo

Which ring was she in?

I don't think she was in any of those rings, she was several hundred miles away. The mistakes were made by the SS agents at the event. I doubt she has telepathic powers to perceive the men at the event were making a mistake.

I look forward to seeing the people who designed and approved the plan being held accountable, along with the individuals who abandoned their assigned posts at the event and the ones who ignored the bystanders trying to point out the shooter on the roof.

 

[Mica]

I suspect this, too. She ends up being the only person forced to resign, even though she wasn't at the location. Will Congress let the rest of the investigation continue w/o holding anyone else accountable?

Along with Director Cheatle, Secretary Mayorkas and Director Christopher Wray were invited to testify at a hearing today. One was not available and the other declined.

In addition to the July 13 information request, Chairman Green invited Secretary Mayorkas, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, and Director Cheatle to testify publicly on Tuesday, July 23, in a hearing to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt against former President Trump. The FBI told the Committee they could not make Director Wray available for the hearing. DHS declined for Secretary Mayorkas to testify, and the invitation to Director Cheatle remains outstanding.

Chairman Green Subpoenas DHS Secretary Mayorkas for Documents Regarding Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump – Committee on Homeland Security

homeland.house.gov

 

[Elley Mae]

Along with Director Cheatle, Secretary Mayorkas and Director Christopher Wray were invited to testify at a hearing today. One was not available and the other declined.

In addition to the July 13 information request, Chairman Green invited Secretary Mayorkas, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, and Director Cheatle to testify publicly on Tuesday, July 23, in a hearing to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the assassination attempt against former President Trump. The FBI told the Committee they could not make Director Wray available for the hearing. DHS declined for Secretary Mayorkas to testify, and the invitation to Director Cheatle remains outstanding.

Chairman Green Subpoenas DHS Secretary Mayorkas for Documents Regarding Attempted Assassination of Former President Trump – Committee on Homeland Security

homeland.house.gov

But of course.

 

[Ruminations]

When I was young, my dad was the big boss in a federal agency, at one particular location that was open 24 hours. He had about 1000 people under him.

On occasion he’d go there in the middle of the night to check on the night shift.

One day he was called in by the head of the agency because there was an attempted robbery at night. My father had been at home, asleep, when that happened, yet as the head guy of that particular building he had to answer for whatever went wrong that night.

It comes with the territory. If you are the boss then you are responsible for procedures in place, whether you are present during an incident or not. Male or female is irrelevant.

My father didn’t get fired, no one was injured and the robbery was foiled, but he was considered partially responsible.

He’s nearly 92 now and that still weighs on him, one night in a 57 year career.

IMO, if we as women demand equal rights and equal pay and equal opportunities, we also bear equal responsibility when the buck stops with us.

JMO and JME

Nobody said anything about there being any kind of "if" about human rights applying to all genders.

Nobody said anything about the director having any options to dodge responsibility because of her gender of for any reason.

The reality is, there is no reason to think that her resignation is a change that will address the failures on the day of the assassination attempt and the murder.

Expecting real change after a crisis is not even a tiny bit like asking to be treated differently because one is female.

MOO

 

[SpanishInquisition]

The assumption being that local LE can never be relied on to do this job, correct?

As a matter of policy I would say No. It's not that you can't ever rely upon them, but that you can't count on 3rd parties to do something like that to the level that would be in compliance with the Secret Service's mission, which it has to be 100% to align with the Secret Service's mission of zero fail protection. If local 3rd parties could be counted on, why not just disband the Secret Service entirely and have local LEs protect Presidents and former Presidents then? I don't think the Secret Service should be disbanded, just the Secret Service shouldn't be viewed as interchangeable with local LEs. I do think for instance that the likes of the NYPD are up to that task, but the NYPD has so many personnel that the staff of the NYPD would be about 25% of the total population of Butler County so it is unreasonable to expect tiny Butler County to have the same level of skills and resources in protecting current and former Presidents as New York City.