A Democratic senator has accused the Department of Homeland Security of blockading efforts to investigate the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut told reporters in Washington D.C. that the federal government is not cooperating with the congressional investigation.
“I am reaching the point of total outrage, because the response from the Department of Homeland Security has been totally lacking,” said Blumenthal, per The New York Post. “In fact, I think it’s tantamount to stonewalling in many respects.”
“The Department of Homeland Security has to be more forthcoming, not only to me, but to the American people, and it has to do it quickly or it will fuel the conspiracy theories that are so dangerous to our democracy, as well as undermining its own credibility,” he added.
Blumenthal is the chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations within the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
His latest remarks come days after a second gunman was arrested after attempting to assassinate Trump on a golf course in Florida.
“Like other Americans, I’m glad former President Trump is safe, & grateful for law enforcement professionals’ swift & effective action,” the senator wrote on X on Sunday. “Political violence is unacceptable—it has no place in America.”
Blumenthal warned that a soon-to-be-released report on the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania would detail the significant security issues.
“I think the American people are going to be shocked and appalled by our findings as to the lapses and failures on that day,” he said while speaking to reporters on Sept. 16 in Hartford, per NBC Connecticut.
He did not explain what changes he believes the Secret Service should make but he did suggest security must be increased. The senator also said the DHS has “no right to withhold information about a topic that affects the security of candidates or our office holders.”
Blumenthal and Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), the ranking member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, have worked with Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Rand Paul (R-KY), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, to gather information from local law enforcement and federal agencies regarding the attack at Trump’s July 13 rally.
According to a July 24 letter, the group asked DHS to provide “any intelligence” regarding “potential threats to the July 13, 2024, event, generated or received by I&A in advance of the event,” “the perpetrator of the attempted assassination of former President Trump generated or received by I&A in advance of the event,” and “the elections threat environment generated or received by I&A in the last two years” by Aug. 7.
“The senators are requesting information from three federal agencies and five state and local law enforcement agencies related to the security preparations for and response to the attack during the campaign rally in Pennsylvania and the failures that led to an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump,” the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs said in a press release. “The senators are seeking information on security preparations, intelligence gathering on potential violence prior to the attack, and detailed explanations of the agencies’ security response.”
DHS denied allegations that it is not cooperating with the investigation into the attempted assassination.
“Since July 13, the Department and the U.S. Secret Service have provided the Senate with multiple briefings, nearly 2,500 pages of documents, and more than 50 hours of transcribed interviews," said a spokesperson for the department, per Fox News. "It has done so while also cooperating with investigations by the House Special Task Force, the Independent Review Panel directed by the President, the DHS OIG, and the Government Accountability Office.”
“Claims that the Department and Secret Service are not cooperating are false and fail to recognize the robust response and ongoing work to meet Congress’ oversight requests, and our clear commitment to accountability for the events of July 13th,” said DHS.
