Staff Reports
Local law enforcement is stepping up to the plate, disputing the narrative that the Secret Service had them guarding the rooftop where a would-be assassin took aim at former President Donald Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania back in July. This isn’t exactly the first time the Secret Service has found itself in hot water, and once again, they’ve got questions swirling around their protective protocols.
During a recent testimony, Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe claimed local police snipers were poised inside a nearby building right beneath the rooftop. Rowe hinted that if these snipers had actually done their jobs, they would have noticed Thomas Matthew Crooks scaling the building like a squirrel chasing a nut. Meanwhile, video evidence emerged suggesting that the snipers may have had a front-row seat to the unfolding drama but conveniently failed to act — a classic case of “you had one job.”
Last week Secret Service blamed LOCAL COPS for not securing rooftop. Today video shows Butler, PA cops saying they warned Secret Service ahead of time the building needed to be covered. And yet the lead USSS agent is still on duty! https://t.co/WtiEZJaDHd
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) August 8, 2024
Adding fuel to the fire, Senator Chuck Grassley, who seems to have taken it upon himself to be the detective of Capitol Hill, requested more information surrounding the chaotic day. He wanted to know if any official assignments were actually made to cover that rooftop and whether or not the local law enforcement officers were simply enjoying a free show instead of doing their duty. The Senator’s letter had all the finesse of a well-crafted indictment, demanding diagrams, images, records, and whatever else might shed light on the apparent circus.
Grassley’s questions directed at Rowe were not only pointed but downright searching. He wanted clarity on who was in charge of assigning counter snipers, where they should be placed, and if any records indicate that local snipers were supposed to be holed up inside the AGR building instead of outside where they might actually have a view of a moron with bad aim. It is a legitimate inquiry, especially given the circumstance that people cheering for a former president were putting their lives on the line while security seemed to be playing musical chairs with their positions.
In a twist worthy of a political soap opera, Grassley also demanded answers regarding whether any federal personnel on-site saw Crooks on the rooftop before he made his ill-fated attempt. Rowe’s declaration that Secret Service snipers saw nothing before the gunshots rang out has raised eyebrows, especially when video footage emerged showing someone dashing along that very rooftop. The comforting thought of top-notch security seems to be fading faster than Crooks’ chances of being invited to a Republican rally anytime soon.
As the August deadline looms, America is left wondering how a protective detail for a former president could fall so flat, almost transforming into a live episode of “Cops: The Political Edition.” One thing is clear, as the spotlight remains fixed on the events of that fateful day: the scrutiny is about to intensify, and the American public deserves answers on how the Secret Service managed to miss the biggest security gaffe since… well, ever.
