In a recent development, Alejandro Mayorkas, the Secretary of Homeland Security, has appointed a panel to conduct an independent review of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
The incident, which took place on July 13, 2024, during an outdoor campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulted in Trump being wounded and one supporter killed. The assailant, identified as Thomas Crooks, was neutralized by a sniper after he opened fire on Trump from a nearby rooftop that was not secured by the Secret Service or local law enforcement.
According to Gateway Pundit, the panel was commissioned by President Joe Biden and includes four members with diverse political backgrounds. Two of the members served under the administration of Republican George W. Bush, one is a former police chief from the Democrat-led Prince Georges County, Maryland, and the fourth is former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, who was Barack Obamas first Homeland Security secretary.
Napolitano, who has been openly critical of Trump, made headlines last April when she dismissed Trump's law and order stance during an interview on MSNBCs Inside with Jen Psaki. She stated, So, first of all, for former President Trump to run as a so-called law and order candidate, it would be like me saying I play in the NBA. I mean, it just just doesnt hold true.
In 2017, Napolitano, then the president of the University of California, sued the Trump administration over immigration issues. She wrote in a Los Angeles Times op-ed, As secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, a little more than five years ago I signed the directive that created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. On Tuesday, President Trump ended DACA on little more than a whim. On Friday, in my capacity as president of the University of California, I filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to prevent the government from stripping DACA recipients of their ability to live, study and work in our country free from fear of deportation.
The DHS panels about page provides a detailed account of the review's purpose: Following the events of July 13, 2024, President Joe Biden directed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct an independent security review of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas is naming a bipartisan panel with extensive law enforcement and security experience to conduct a 45-day independent review of the planning for and actions taken by the U.S. Secret Service and state and local authorities before, during, and after the rally, and the U.S. Secret Service governing policies and procedures.
The panel comprises former DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano; Ms. Frances Townsend, former Homeland Security Advisor to President George W. Bush; the Hon. Mark Filip, a former federal judge and Deputy Attorney General to President George W. Bush; and Chief David Mitchell, the former superintendent of Maryland State Police and former Secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security for the State of Delaware. Secretary Mayorkas has indicated that he may invite additional experts to join the panel in the coming days.
In a press release, Mayorkas stated, We are committed to getting to the bottom of what happened on July 13, and I am grateful to the distinguished members of this independent review who will bring decades of expertise in law enforcement and security operations to this important investigation. Ensuring the safety and security of current and former Presidents is critical and one of our Departments top priorities. The men and women of the Secret Service make it the greatest protective service in the world, with one of the most solemn and difficult missions in government. This independent review will examine what happened and provide actionable recommendations to ensure they carry out their no-fail mission most effectively and to prevent something like this from ever happening again.
The administration has committed to sharing the results of this review with the American people. Secretary Mayorkas has also encouraged the panel members to notify him of recommendations that require immediate attention in real time, so changes can be quickly implemented if needed. The independent review will be conducted in such a way as to not interfere with the FBIs ongoing criminal investigation or any other criminal investigation.
The appointment of a panel with such diverse political backgrounds, including a known critic of Trump, raises questions about the impartiality of the investigation. It remains to be seen whether the panel will be able to set aside political biases and focus solely on the security lapses that led to the assassination attempt. The American people will be watching closely, expecting a thorough and unbiased investigation into this unprecedented event.
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