SpanishInquisition
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- Feb 27, 2015
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Senator Ted Cruz focused on SS agents accountability for the failures.
Rowe repeatly said ...
I will not put my thumb on the scale and rush to judgment. I will not rush to judgment. He's concerned about the staff in the Pittsburgh office, morale is so low, they are so upset.
He stated they only hired the best, out of 700 applications they hire less than 15. They only hired the best of the best.
(Moo Rowe is delaying investigation due to personal feelings of SS employees. If the Pittsburgh agents are the best of the best... why are they so emotional and whining. They shouldn't need comfort and reassurance. The best stand up and tell the truth and take responsibility. Isn't that the problem we have with the former director)
Cruz rebuttal... A former president was shot, a person died, several severely injured and you're telling me these agents are still on duty. That no one has been reprimanded, fired, placed on leave. Are you telling me that you haven't reviewed who broke protocol? And that that person is not being punished. It's 17 days later.
Rowe continues to defend his staff and repeatedly states local LE was responsible for the AGR building.
Cruz again, why wasn't a site supervisor SS agents roaming the venue and especially overhead, since the SS drone system didn't work.
Rowe ... We should have excepted the PSP offer of drones.
When questioned how many agents he had there that day.
Rowe responded 70 "including those pre and post event". We still don't know exactly how many were on site the actual day during the event. (Moo, he's playing games, delaying facts)
Cruz, .... it was reported that agents were pulled from the Trump rally to cover Jill Bidens event.
After much yelling back and forth...
Rowe admitted agents were pulled to go to the airport for Jill Biden.
Cruz ask how many agents or the ratio performer president Trump events and Biden events.
Rowe refused to answer, said it's not the same, Biden has nuclear capabilities. (This was Jill's event). He refused repeatedly to give the ratio.
Cruz formally request the information, committee approved.
My opinion only of today's Congressional hearing
I think Rowe is actually trying to protect himself by not releasing anyone to speak, like I think this was more a management problem than an agent problem. This also is showing all the more that the volunteer unpaid sniper who briefly left their position - but the position itself was still manned - did the right thing in quickly trying to locate the Suspicious Person since other LE hadn't found him and Secret Service wasn't going to do anything there. It is also totally unacceptable that the Secret Service continues to disclaim responsibility for that area - they can't outsource that responsibility that way. What if some Iranian Revolutionary Guard sniper showed up at the AGR building to avenge General Soleimani? If the Secret Service expects the Butler County ESU or most any other local police force to defend against special operations conducted by foreign nations, the Secret Service really had better think about how they operate.