Staff Reports
The resignation of Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle seems to be another prime example of the incompetence that has become all too familiar in Washington, especially concerning the protection of a former president. Cheatle stepped down in the wake of a security breach that allowed a sniper to get within a stone’s throw of Donald Trump at a campaign rally, leading to chaos and gunfire—while leaving lawmakers and the public scratching their heads about how such a lapse could happen in the first place.
Cheatle’s resignation came right after a House Oversight Committee hearing that could only be described as a bipartisan showdown. Members of both parties were at their wits’ end as they pressed Cheatle for answers that never came. It’s as if there were more questions than answers, and Cheatle had apparently forgotten her role in providing crucial information about the agency charged with protecting our leaders. House Speaker Mike Johnson recognized the obvious when he stated her departure was long overdue.
The incident itself was shocking. A 20-year-old sniper managed to perch himself on a rooftop just 150 yards from where Trump was speaking, leading to a distressing scene that left one person dead and three others wounded. The sniper, one Thomas Crooks, was ultimately neutralized by a Secret Service counter-sniper after his initial shots were fired, making one wonder why earlier prevention measures were not enacted when he was first spotted.
Multiple questions linger in the aftermath of the shooting. For instance, why was the building not secured prior to the event, especially when a young sniper was seen lurking overhead? One could speculate our national security apparatus has taken a few too many pages from the “How Not to Secure a Rally” handbook. An investigation is presumably underway, but one can’t help but feel that this kind of oversight has become standard operating procedure in the current administration.
It's official! Director Cheatle resigns in shame as the Biden administrations Poster Boy for "Ultimate DEI hire disaster!"https://t.co/3C6DxfGbxI
— SkruTheSquad (@SkruTheSquad) July 23, 2024
President Biden, ever the defender of those within the ranks of public service, took a moment to commend Cheatle for her long career but neglected to acknowledge the very real security failures that led to her resignation. For him to extend gratitude seemed almost tone-deaf as the reality of the situation continues to unfold. Yet, in such moments, the disconnect between leadership and genuine accountability becomes glaringly clear, and one can only hope the Secret Service can rebound from this poorly navigated administrative episode before another rally draws near.
