‘Americans demand answers.’ KY congressman calls for hearing on shooting at Trump rally
U.S. Rep. James Comer is calling for a hearing on the shooting at a rally held by former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania Saturday.
“I have already contacted the Secret Service for a briefing and am also calling on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing,” Comer, a Kentucky Republican and chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, said in a post on the social media platform X Saturday night.
“The Oversight Committee will send a formal invitation soon.”
Trump was rushed off the stage by Secret Service agents after a bullet hit him in the ear at a Pennsylvania rally. A rally attendee and the suspected shooter were dead following the incident, and two other people were injured.
“My prayers are with President Trump and the victims of the assassination attempt at today’s rally in Pennsylvania,” Comer wrote.
“I thank the brave Secret Service members who put their lives at risk to protect President Trump and for the American patriots in the audience who helped others who were hurt. Political violence in all forms is un-American and unacceptable. There are many questions and Americans demand answers.”
The FBI, according to media reports late Saturday night, is to lead the investigation into the botched assassination attempt.
Comer represents Kentucky’s 1st Congressional District in Congress. Originally elected in 2016, his district covers 35 counties from the Mississippi River to Central Kentucky.
He portrays himself as a conservative Republican “leading some of the most consequential congressional investigations in American history and aggressively advocates for reducing government waste, fraud and abuse” as Oversight Committee chairman.
On July 11, Comer issued a statement demanding that three top White House aides appear before his panel later this month to discuss President Joe Biden’s mental fitness.
He has issued subpoenas to Anthony Bernal, a top adviser to first lady Jill Biden; Annie Tomasini, White House deputy chief of staff; and Ashley Williams, a senior adviser to the president requesting they sit for depositions.
In letters sent to the three staff members, the GOP committee chair claimed that the aides may be “running interference on behalf of the President and perhaps doing some of the President’s job for him.”
A White House spokesperson lashed out at Comer.
“Like everything Congressman Comer has done over the past year, these subpoenas are a baseless political stunt intended for him to get media attention instead of engage in legitimate oversight.”
A few days earlier, Comer requested that Biden’s physician appear before lawmakers for an interview about the president’s health.
Comer drew national attention for his failed efforts to link President Biden to alleged illegal activities by his son, Hunter.
Numerous hearings were held, but they went nowhere.
This story was originally published July 13, 2024 at 10:01 PM.
