Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) told Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle that the projected 60-day timeline for an initial report about the security breakdowns that led to the assassination attempt against former President Trump is “not acceptable.”
Cheatle, who is testifying Monday before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, had just told committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) that an internal mission assurance investigation is targeted to be complete within 60 days.
“We are currently in the midst of … an especially concentrated presidential campaign,” Ocasio-Cortez said, referring to President Biden dropping his reelection bid and Vice President Harris launching one on Sunday. She also noted that elections across the country are happening in about 100 days.
“So the idea that a report will be finalized in 60 days, let alone prior to any actionable decisions that would be made, is simply not acceptable,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “It has been 10 days since an assassination attempt on a former president of the United States, regardless of party. There need to be answers.”
“This is not a moment of theater. We need to make policy decisions, and we need to make them now. We do,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “That may require legislation … that we must pass in the immediate term. And without that, we are flying blind.”
Cheatle told Ocasio-Cortez that she is not waiting on a report to take action.
“We have been conducting analysis all along, and we have been adding additional features to our security details since this incident occurred,” Cheatle said.
In addition to the Secret Service’s internal investigation, there are “a number” of office of inspector general investigations, Cheatle said, in addition to a Department of Justice investigation.
Additionally, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced on Sunday a bipartisan, independent panel to conduct a 45-day review of the assassination attempt.
