Senators are currently engaged in a heated debate over the Secret Service's handling of the Trump rally shooting incident in Butler, Pennsylvania. The acting director of the Secret Service, Ronald Rowe, recently testified before Capitol Hill, suggesting that local law enforcement failed to spot the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, on the rooftop from which he carried out the attack. However, the district attorney of Butler County contradicted Rowe's account, stating that local snipers were not responsible for monitoring that specific rooftop.
Senator Ron Johnson expressed his belief that the Secret Service is attempting to shift blame onto local law enforcement, referring to it as a potential scapegoating tactic. Senator Josh Hawley also raised concerns about the situation, describing it as having a 'cover your a--' feel to it.
During his testimony, Rowe presented an image of the building's rooftop where Crooks had positioned himself before the attack. He pointed out the location where the shooter fired from and questioned why the assailant was not detected earlier, despite assurances of surveillance coverage.
However, the Butler County District Attorney clarified that local snipers were assigned to a different vantage point and were not tasked with monitoring the specific rooftop where Crooks was situated. Senator Hawley mentioned receiving conflicting reports from whistleblowers on both sides, indicating a lack of consensus on the matter.
Senator Richard Blumenthal criticized the Secret Service for potentially undermining local law enforcement, emphasizing that such actions could hinder future cooperation between agencies. Senator Gary Peters, chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, expressed reservations about passing judgment until all parties involved in the rally shooting are interviewed.
In light of the differing perspectives presented by the Secret Service and local law enforcement, the Senate committee aims to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the accountability and strategic oversights that may have contributed to the security breach during the Trump rally in Butler.
