The House Select Committee investigating the assassination attempt on former President Trump will hold its first hearing on Thursday.
“They've done a lot of work behind the scenes, interviewed dozens of witnesses, collected thousands of documents. They're continuing to work toward a hearing that I know will generate a lot of interest,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, said Tuesday.
“The American people want and deserve answers, and the task force is working around the clock to get them.”
Trump assassination attempt in Florida: Pennsylvania task force, Secret Service announce 'red line'
The Select Committee on Assassination Attempts against President Trump, led by Rep. Mike Kelly (left) and Rep. Jason Crow (right), is holding its first hearing. (Getty Images)
The task force was formed with unanimous approval from the House of Representatives, a rare feat in today's partisan environment.
Its scope was only expanded last week after a second alleged assassination attempt on Trump was thwarted, this time while the former president was playing golf at his golf course in West Palm Beach.
But Thursday's hearing is expected to focus on the July 13 shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
A 20-year-old gunman opened fire from a rooftop just outside the rally's perimeter, killing one protester and wounding others. Trump was shot in the ear and was quickly evacuated from the stage by Secret Service agents.
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Witnesses will include Butler County Emergency Services Unit Commander Edward Lentz, Butler County Police Officer Drew Blasco, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. John Herold, former Secret Service agent Patrick Sullivan and Allegheny County Coroner Dr. Ariel Goldschmidt.
A police officer stands beside Thomas Crooks after he was shot. (Butler Township Police Department)
The task force, led by Chairman Mike Kelly (R-PA) and Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), has already sent out numerous requests for information and documents to local, state and federal authorities.
Deputies want to understand how suspect Thomas Matthew Crooks was able to be armed and stand so close to the rally, despite being known to some attendees and even local officials, long before he opened fire.
“The communications outage on the day of the event was clearly catastrophic. [and] “What we saw that day happened because of a series of events, and I look forward to hearing from people who were on the scene involved in that incident and being able to tell us how that happened,” task force member Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) said on “Fox News Live” on Sunday.
Trump sustained a graze wound to his ear during the assassination attempt. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The hearing came one day after the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee released a scathing interim report detailing the July 13 planning and security failures.
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The report said the Secret Service did not have the proper chain of command in place to approve security decisions before the rally and failed to coordinate security, particularly around the building where the shooter opened fire.
The paper blamed the head of the Secret Service's anti-sniper team for not going inside the building or onto its roof, citing problems including obstructed views for the sniper team tasked with monitoring the area.
