Comer to Subpoena Cheatle as DHS 'Investigates' Itself

The media is filled this morning with reports that House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer plans to send a subpoena over to Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle to diminish the prospects of her backing out of testifying next Monday.

Here’s an excerpt from a story at News Nation:

And in an attempt to “head off any attempt by DHS to backtrack” on Cheatle’s appearance in Monday’s committee hearing, Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) will issue a subpoena for her to attend, the spokesperson said. They added: “Director Cheatle must answer to Congress and the American people about the historic failure that occurred on her watch.”

Asked about the Oversight spokesperson’s accusations and whether Cheatle would accept a separate invitation to appear at the Homeland Security panel’s July 23 hearing, the Secret Service referred The Hill to DHS. A DHS spokesperson told The Hill regarding the hearing that it “responds to congressional requests directly via official channels, and the Department will continue to respond appropriately to Congressional oversight.”

A Homeland Security Committee aide had said earlier that the Secret Service and DHS “have not even acknowledged receipt of our testimony request let alone given us an answer on if they will attend our Tuesday hearing.”

Despite the Oversight panel frustrations, an alternative briefing plan appears to be in the works.

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It is readily apparent that DHS and Cheatle are already mounting a stonewalling effort to frustrate congressional investigators.

One reason for that could be the fact that the Inspector General’s office at the DHS announced this morning it is opening an investigation of its own into the matter.

Excerpt from a story at Politico:

The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general’s office will investigate the Secret Service efforts to provide security for former President Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, where Trump’s ear was grazed by a bullet in an assassination attempt.

The office provided few details about the scope of the investigation beyond a brief statement posted to its website that said the office will investigate the “process for securing former President Trump’s July 13, 2024, campaign event.”

The Department of Homeland Security’s investigation comes after President Joe Biden ordered an independent review of law enforcement’s security efforts at the Trump rally, and the FBI launched a probe into the shooting. One bystander was also killed, and two others were severely wounded in the sniper attack.

Congressional Republicans are also investigating the assassination attempt. House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) invited Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to testify before the committee next week.

A Secret Service spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. The Homeland Security Department’s Office of the Inspector General also didn’t immediately respond to a comment request.

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So, basically, the DHS wants to reserve the right to be the sole investigator of itself. While this has long been standard operating procedure for implementing DC coverups, it is completely unacceptable to allow this to happen in this specific case.

This attempted assassination and the myriad failures by the Secret Service to protect Mr. Trump literally screams out for an independent investigation. Unfortunately, we can be certain that any effort by the Biden administration to appoint such a panel would inevitably result in a Warren Report-style sham, or worse, an atrocity along the lines of Nancy Pelosi’s Jan. 6 committee.

What a mess.

That is all.