FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The director of the Secret Service testified before a congressional committee
The director of the American Secret Service, Kimberly Cheatle, has described the assassination of Donald Trump as the biggest failure in the history of the agency she leads.
The Secret Service director testified before a congressional committee amid growing calls for her resignation.
" On July 13, we failed ," Cheatle said. She added that she takes full responsibility for the agency's mistakes related to the attack on Republican Trump's campaign rally in Pennsylvania earlier this month.
The House Oversight Committee heard Ms. Cheatle's remarks in her first appearance before lawmakers since the July 13 attack in Pennsylvania that left one rally-goer dead.
" We have not denied any assets for the events of July 13 ", she said before the Congress.
" We believe there was a sufficient number of agents " at Trump's July 13 rally, she said.
US lawmakers have expressed outrage at how the gunman could get so close to the Republican presidential candidate when he was supposed to be closely guarded. The Secret Service has acknowledged that it denied several requests from the Trump campaign to increase security at events he attended years before the assassination.
" I can tell you that we intend to complete the internal investigation within 60 days ," Cheatle said.
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security inspector general are also investigating the shooting.
" Has any employee been punished for their role in the incident?" asked GOP Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas. "No sir, not at this time ," she said. " We are still in the process of interviewing people ."
Mr. Trump was wounded in the ear and two other attendees were wounded by Thomas Matthew Crooks, who opened fire from the roof of a nearby building.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas described the assassination as a "failure," while some lawmakers have called for Ms. Cheatle's resignation or her dismissal by President Joe Biden.
Officials told the Associated Press news agency that prior to the attack, law enforcement had been alerted to the suspect's actions near the rally. He was observed measuring the distance from the roof from where he attacked, to the stage where the former president later climbed. Footage of Crooks near the security perimeter has also circulated.
Lini një Përgjigje