House reps demand briefing from Secret Service on 2nd assassination attempt

A bipartisan task force investigating the assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump is demanding a briefing from the Secret Service this week over why a second gunman got close enough to Trump in another assassination attempt.

The taskforce, headed by Reps. Mike Kelly (R-PA.) and Jason Crow (D-CO), has demanded a briefing on the attack from Sunday, "The Task Force is monitoring this attempted assassination of former President Trump in West Palm Beach this afternoon. We have requested a briefing with the U.S. Secret Service about what happened and how security responded,” Kelly and Crow said in a joint statement as they promised to “share updates as we learn more.”

Ryan Wesley Routh, a 58-year-old Democratic activist is accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump with an AK-style firearm on Sunday afternoon. Police arrested Routh shortly after he pointed a rifle in the vicinity of the GOP nominee who was playing a round of golf at his International Golf Club. Secret Service agents spotted Routh and fired shots at the suspect. Routh fled and was later arrested by police alive and uninjured.

The House task force was created after the July 13 assassination attempt against Trump at a Butler, PA rally. The group’s objective is to assess how security failed to protect Trump during the first attempt on his life and how to avoid it in the future. 

Politico reported that Rowe has already briefed some prominent Congressional leaders about Sunday’s event, including Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, who lauded the Secret Service in a statement:

“I applaud the Secret Service for their quick response to ensure former President Trump’s safety,” Schumer said. “There is no place in this country for political violence of any kind. The perpetrator must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Senate Judiciary Chair Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) has also received a briefing while Senate Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) did not indicate whether he was briefed but expressed how he is “very grateful President Trump is safe.”

Republicans are demanding that Trump receive better security in light of him being caught in two assassination attempts in just over two months. “I call on President Biden to issue President Trump the same security levels afforded to a sitting president to ensure his safety. Enough is enough,” Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) posted.