Senator Carper raises concerns, calls on Secret Service, FBI to learn from their mistakes
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Delaware’s Senior U.S. Senator Tom Carper urged the Secret Service and FBI to learn from their mistakes in a committee hearing today on Capitol Hill following the assassination attempt on Former President Donald Trump.
Sen. Carper spoke during Tuesday’s joint hearing of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee. During the hearing, Sen. Carper focused on how the Secret Service and FBI can learn from the tragic events that occurred July 13th and, where appropriate, make policy changes to prevent such security failures from happening in the future.
“I share with my colleagues my prayers for those who have been killed or injured on July 13,” Sen. Carper said. “We’re grateful that one of our presidential candidates is ok, but I have a question about, what, I still can’t, I can’t get over how a 20-year-old loner could somehow outfox, outsmart two of the smartest federal agencies, state agencies, and law enforcement.”
That same sentiment has been shared by both sides on Capitol Hill, lawmakers concerned and scrambling for answers as to how the gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to get to a point that day where he could carry out such an act.
“It just blows my mind,” Sen. Carper exclaimed. “Hopefully, we’ll get to the truth and all of that. I’m a Navy guy. I spent 23 years of my life in the Navy. I learned as a midshipman that when the ship runs aground at sea, the commanding officer is held responsible. When the commanding officer is awake, asleep, or at the helm, [they are] held responsible. At the end of the day, I’m not interested in a blame game, but I’m sure interested in finding out who was responsible and making sure that they account for their responsibility.”
Sen. Carper also highlighted the need to ensure that the Secret Service and FBI are equipped to prevent similar security failures in the future.
“Some of us will be gathering in Chicago in just a few weeks […] to help make sure that what was adopted in that original Constitution is actually carried out faithfully,” Sen. Carper stated. “And it’s just incredibly important that those who aspire to elected office, those who take on those challenges, are protected, and their families are protected, as well as those who surround them.”
Sen. Carper emphasized the need for better communication between the Secret Service and local law enforcement, and inquired about the potential changes in information sharing that would be implemented after the breakdown in communication that occurred on July 13th.
Moving forward, a bipartisan task force has been created to further investigate the assassination attempt. They will submit a final report of their investigation by December 13.
