Chairman Green Requests Public Testimony from State and Local Law Enforcement Officials on Trump Assassination Attempt
July 17, 2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green (R-TN) invited several members of Pennsylvania state and local law enforcement to testify before the Committee at an oversight hearing in the coming days, to examine the facts and circumstances surrounding the July 13 assassination attempt of former President Donald J. Trump.
To help provide the Committee and the American people with more answers about the events surrounding the events of July 13, the Committee has invited Col. Christopher L. Paris, commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police; Sheriff Michael T. Slupe of the Butler County, Pennsylvania, Sheriff’s Department; and Lt. Matthew Pearson of the Butler Township Police Department.
Chairman Green released the following statement on these developments: “As we continue to gather all the facts about the cowardly attempt on President Trump’s life on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, the accounts and experiences of state and local law enforcement professionals with direct knowledge of these events will be critical. Our goal is to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again, and I very much look forward to working with these officials in order to accomplish that critical objective. And as always, the Committee remains deeply grateful for the service of the men and women of state and local law enforcement.”
Background:
This testimony request follows a request by Chairman Green for testimony from Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray, and U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Director Kimberly Cheatle. On Sunday, Chairman Green sent a letter to Secretary Mayorkas, in which he demanded, in part, the security plan to secure the perimeter of the event site, including areas such as the building from which the shooter attempted the assassination of President Trump; communications between or among personnel at DHS and the Executive Office of the President related to any potential increase or addition of protective resources to President Trump’s security detail; and the briefing materials used by Secretary Mayorkas and Director Cheatle to brief President Joe Biden about the attempted assassination of President Trump. The requested information and documents are due on Friday, July 19, and the briefing request must be satisfied by Monday, July 22.
Since the attempted assassination of former President Trump, the Committee has been in close contact with department officials and continues to seek answers to the many questions the American people deserve to know. Chairman Green spoke with Director Cheatle on Sunday, July 14, and with FBI Executive Assistant Director Robert Wells Monday, July 15. The Committee will continue to be in close contact with USSS, DHS, and the FBI to ensure the safety of our political leaders and fully investigate security failures.
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