Secret Service's 'Disappointing' Hearing Leaves Senators Frustrated

Acting Secret Service director accused of shifting blame after admitting local authorities should have covered rooftop where gunman fired on former President Trump.

The head of a prominent police union has accused the acting head of the U.S. Secret Service of shifting blame after he told Congress that local authorities were supposed to have covered the rooftop where a gunman opened fire on former President Trump in a failed assassination attempt.

Patrick Yoes, National President of the Fraternal Order of Police, expressed frustration at the answer given by Ronald Rowe, acting director of the Secret Service, during a joint Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing examining the security failures that led to the failed assassination attempt on Trump.

Secret Service's 'Disappointing' Hearing Leaves Senators Frustrated

"The Secret Service still cannot seem to provide any answers almost three weeks after the attempt on the former president’s life, but they don’t seem to have any trouble assigning blame on a partner agency," Yoes said.

"It is the responsibility of the Secret Service to ensure the safety of their protectee — all that the local agencies can do is assist them with manpower and resources."

Secret Service's 'Disappointing' Hearing Leaves Senators Frustrated

The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, who shot Trump in the ear, fired from the roof of a nearby building during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has been heavily criticized for security lapses that allowed Crooks to get that close to the former president.

Rowe testified before congressional lawmakers that the Secret Service was told by local law enforcement that the "building was going to be covered."

Secret Service's 'Disappointing' Hearing Leaves Senators Frustrated

He further said that he didn't "understand why there was not better coverage" before asking "why was the assailant not seen?" Rowe later said agents "assumed the state and locals had it [covered]."

"Well, we all know what happens when you assume," Yoes said.

Secret Service's 'Disappointing' Hearing Leaves Senators Frustrated

"Because of these assumptions and the cascade of failures that occurred at this event, an innocent man has died, and a former president was struck by gunfire."

"Which agency is responsible for security at the event?" he asked. "Which agency placed these buildings beyond the security perimeter?"

Republican senators on the committee also expressed frustration with the Secret Service's lack of answers.

"I am deeply disappointed by the lack of accountability and transparency in this matter," said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. "The Secret Service has a lot of questions to answer, and I will not rest until we get them."

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said that the Secret Service's "failure to provide adequate security is unacceptable."

"The American people deserve to know how this happened and what is being done to prevent it from happening again," Portman said.

The Secret Service has been under increasing scrutiny since the failed assassination attempt on Trump. The agency has been criticized for its handling of several other security incidents, including the 2015 White House fence-jumping incident and the 2016 White House shooting.

In the wake of these incidents, Congress has passed legislation to reform the Secret Service. However, it remains to be seen whether these reforms will be enough to address the agency's systemic problems.

The Secret Service has not yet responded to a request for comment.