WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries on Monday announced a list of 13 lawmakers who will form a bipartisan task force that will investigate the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
“We have complete confidence in this bipartisan group of permanent, highly qualified, and knowledgeable members of Congress to act quickly to establish the facts, ensure accountability, and help ensure that failures like this never happen again,” the two members said in a joint statement.
Johnson said last week the panel would publish its final report by December 13, although he expected interim reports in the meantime. The House voted 416-0 on July 24 to establish the panel.
The task force is expected to further examine the Secret Service’s plans to protect Trump before his rally in Butler, as well as how the attacker managed to open fire.
The panel will be chaired by Rep. Mike Kelly, who was at the rally and represents Pennsylvania’s 16th District, where the shooting occurred.
Kelly wrote in an editorial published last week in Newsweek that he believes the task force is critical to “leveraging the collective power of Congress as a tool to dig deeper and find the facts.”
“The shooting injured Mr. Trump, took the life of Corey Comperatore, and injured two other Pennsylvanians,” Kelly wrote. “It is important that we not jump to conclusions as we begin these investigations. I look forward to working with my colleagues to provide the American people with the answers they deserve.”
Other Republicans on the task force include Texas Rep. Pat Fallon, Tennessee Rep. Mark Green, Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins, Ohio Rep. David Joyce and Florida Reps. Laurel Lee and Michael Waltz.
The highest-ranking Democrat on the panel will be Colorado Rep. Jason Crow, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and a former Army Ranger.
Crow released a written statement Monday saying he will “help lead this bipartisan task force with Chairman Kelly to investigate and thoroughly investigate the attempted assassination of former President Trump. I will approach this task for what it is: a grave, urgent, and necessary responsibility.”
“Political violence has no place in our democracy. Period,” Crow wrote. “We must be united in our belief that as Americans, not as Republicans or Democrats, political disputes are resolved through rigorous discourse, not violence. I pledge to work with my colleagues to conduct a thorough, bipartisan investigation to gather the facts and recommend corrective security measures.”
Democrats named to the task force include California Rep. Lou Correa, Pennsylvania Reps. Madeleine Dean and Chrissy Houlahan, Maryland Rep. Glenn Ivey and Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz.
Congressional investigations ongoing
Congress has already begun investigating the shooting at a Trump rally that left one person dead and two wounded. The shooter was killed at the scene.
US Secret Service Director Resigns Amid Outrage Over Agency’s Failure to Protect Trump
US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testified before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee July 22, just the day before she resigned following an assassination attempt.
Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Col. Christopher Paris He testified before U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee the same day that Cheatle resigned.
The U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee plan to convene a hearing joint hearing Tuesday about the shooting.
Acting Director of the U.S. Secret Service Ronald L. Rowe Jr. and Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Paul Abbate are expected to testify.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched its own investigation into the shooting.
