(Story written by Noah Haswell of Beaver County Radio, Published on September 27, 2024 at 6:20 A.M.)

(Washington) On Thursday, bipartisan House task force members held a hearing and blamed the Secret Service, not the authorities, for the first assassination attempt on Former President Donald Trump in Butler on July 13. There were repeated questions brought up about why the roof that gunman Thomas Michael Crooks was not protected enough. Co-Chair of the committee, Republican Mike Kelly, noted that the security on several fronts was considered a failure. The commander for the Butler County Emergency Services Unit Edward Lenz confirmed that a sniper team was not on top of the roof because his agency was not intending to put them up there, and he also testified that Secret Service did not check with him or his team. This is the fourth congressional hearing regarding the assassination attempt to Former President Trump in Butler and a series of legislative reforms and a final report will be issued by the House panel on December 13. 

Source for Photo: Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)