Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appointed an independent panel to investigate the failures of the Secret Service after the two confirmed assassination attempts on Donald Trump’s life, and he probably wishes he hadn’t. In their report, released Wednesday, the group of former law enforcement officials absolutely brutalized the agency for their ineptitude and culture of rot.
In one of the most scathing reviews of the agency to date, the panel lambasted the Secret Service for its culture of “do more with less” and the general lack of “critical thinking” that permeated agents during and in the lead up to the Butler rally where Trump was shot and one rallygoer was killed.
“The Secret Service has become bureaucratic, complacent, and static even though risks have multiplied and technology has evolved,” the panel wrote in its report released Wednesday.
Ouch.
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The report, led by Mark Filip, deputy attorney general under President George W. Bush, Janet Napolitano, the secretary of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama, and others, recommended a sweeping culture change inside the Service, alleging that they’ve been infested with a culture of complacency. Toss the bums out, they recommended:
“Many of the issues that the Panel has identified throughout this report, particularly regarding the Panel’s ‘deeper concerns,’ are ultimately attributable, directly or indirectly, to the Service’s culture. A refreshment of leadership, with new perspectives, will contribute to the Service’s resolution of those issues,” the panel wrote.
New: A independent review board appointed by @AliMayorkas following the July 13 assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump found numerous problems at the Secret Service:
— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) October 17, 2024
“The Secret Service has become bureaucratic, complacent, and static even though risks have…
“The Secret Service has become bureaucratic, complacent, and static even though risks have multiplied and technology has evolved.” The bipartisan review board recommended numerous changes at the embattled agency in a 52-page report being released this morning.
They also ripped the Service for the shocking failures at the July 13 Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump campaign rally, where agents failed to secure a rooftop with a direct line of fire to the former president—one among many failures that day, including failing to pay closer attention to the shooter even though he’d been spotted by the crowd walking around with a range finder, flying a drone and just generally acting suspicious.
They also warned that the agency had bitten off more than it could chew by focusing on investigative work in addition to security. Focus on the latter, the report recommended:
“The Panel expresses extreme skepticism that many of the Service’s non-protective (investigative) missions meaningfully contribute to the Service’s protective capability and is concerned that they may materially distract from it,” the report says.
Mayorkas released a statement saying he was grateful for the report and would “fully consider” their findings. Seeing as he’s one of the most inept members of a clueless administration and has previously been held in contempt of Congress, don’t expect any effective action soon.
Statement from Sec. Mayorkas on independent review panel findings re: Secret Service in Butler, PA
— Sam Lisker (@slisker) October 17, 2024
"We will fully consider the Panel’s recommendations and are taking the actions needed to advance the Secret Service’s protection mission."
Full report: https://t.co/73CZTg8sbu pic.twitter.com/0ex0JjQJOP
One thing is for sure, the once stellar reputation of the Secret Service has been nuked, possibly beyond repair.
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