Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn slammed Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for prioritizing cocktail parties over the investigation into the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
While Cheatle steered clear of a group of outraged senators who wanted to discuss the security failings that nearly cost Trump his life, Blackburn and several other senators confronted the embattled security chief at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday.
But Mr Blackburn said Mr Cheatle was busy at reception and refused to answer questions.
“It was inappropriate for her to be in a luxury suite, where she was hosting, in her words, a cocktail party for her security partners and convention partners,” Blackburn told Fox News Digital.
“She says her top priority is making sure people have a good night, a great party, and a luxury suite, and she doesn’t have time for us. Doesn’t she think of the American people as her partners, and the Secret Service as her job?”
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Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn on Wednesday clashed with Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle over the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention. (Amanda Andrade Rose/Kamil Krzaczynski via Getty Images)
Questions are swirling in the wake of the shocking assassination attempt that wounded President Trump, killed former Fire Chief Cory Comperatore, and seriously injured two others.
Critics have slammed Cheatle for failing to secure the building where Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on the Republican icon from just 130 feet away.
Cheatle claims he decided not to send staff to the building because it had a sloping roof. Despite growing calls for him to resign, Cheatle has refused to do so.
Blackburn said Wednesday’s refusal marked the second time he had been unable to negotiate directly with Cheatle over alleged business lapses.
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The senator said he and other lawmakers had a conference call with Cheatle last week and were told they would be given an opportunity to ask questions.
“There was a line of people waiting to ask questions,” she said. “For some reason, it got cut off. It didn’t last very long and a lot of us didn’t get our questions answered.”
She said much of the allotted time was monopolized by Cheatle, who gave a rambling, whitewashed account of what happened at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally.
Blackburn said he had hoped to raise his specific concerns with Cheatle at the Republican National Convention but was told he couldn’t because of convention security reception.
“We suggested we move to a quieter area so she could rest for a few minutes,” she recalled. “We didn’t want to take up too much of her time. [we] It took about 5 minutes to get an explanation and answer.”
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Former President Trump greets Senator Marsha Blackburn during the second day of the Republican National Convention on July 16, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Win McNamee via Getty Images)
Blackburn outlined the most pressing questions surrounding the assassination attempt.
“How did a 20-year-old acting as an assassin get so close to President Trump?” she asked. “How did he get in plain sight? And we wanted to know specifically what happened. I think it was clear that she didn’t want to talk about it because she felt that this was not the right time or place.”
She said councillors want to see advance planning and operational reports.
Blackburn was also troubled by reports that Crooks had been marked as a potential threat well before the shooting.
She confirmed in a briefing to senators that Crooks had been at the rally before the shooting and that investigators had reportedly found more than 14,000 photos on his phone.
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Former President Trump surrounded by his daughters at the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2024. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Blackburn said Crooks made numerous searches related to Presidents Trump and Biden, the Democratic National Convention schedule and depression.
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Blackburn said he was not able to speak with Cheatle but was encouraged by the Republican National Convention and optimistic about Trump’s electoral prospects in November.
“Thursday night was just the perfect conclusion to the Republican National Convention,” she said. “I think it was one of the most powerful conventions I’ve ever seen. President Trump got on stage, he spoke, he spoke beautifully.” [He] He presented a positive vision for the future. The delegation was very excited to hear him speak.”
