MILWAUKEE—Republican senators confronted the embattled head of the Secret Service on Wednesday at the Republican National Convention here.
“You owe President Trump answers,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., shouted after Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle at the RNC.
While Cheatle walked through the Fiserv Forum convention center, Blackburn, along with Sens. John Barrasso of Wyoming, James Lankford of Oklahoma, and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota called on her to give the American people answers after a gunman’s attempt to kill former President Donald Trump nearly succeeded Saturday evening at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Moments before Cheatle briskly walked away from the four senators, they stood around her and asked why Trump was allowed to take the stage at the rally after the Secret Service was alerted to the threat of a shooter 10 minutes earlier, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
“Why would anyone allow the president to go on stage when you know that you’ve got a potential threat … ?,” Blackburn pressed Cheatle, who was appointed by President Joe Biden.
“I am going to answer your questions … at the appropriate forum,” Cheatle told the four senators, according to a video of the confrontation.
The video shows Secret Service director telling the lawmakers that she needs to leave while the GOP leaders follow and continue asking questions.
“You can keep running, but you cannot hide from us,” Blackburn said, running after Cheatle.
“It is appalling that the Secret Service director refused to answer our questions,” Blackburn said in a written statement following the interaction.
“This is one of the greatest security failures in the history of the agency,” the Tennessee Republican said. “She can run but she cannot hide. She is a failed leader and she needs to immediately step down from her position.”
House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., subpoenaed the Secret Service leader Wednesday to appear before lawmakers next week.
