Former chief counsel for the Senate Rules Committee, Joe diGenova, has claimed that former President Donald Trump was treated differently than other 'protectees' during a recent campaign rally where he was shot at.
Speaking on Newsmax's "American Agenda," diGenova criticized the Secret Service for what he described as a "catastrophic failure" in their protection efforts.
"There is no way to avoid the sense that Donald Trump was treated differently than other protectees at this event," diGenova stated. "This was a catastrophic failure of the design of protection and the execution of protection."
DiGenova drew a comparison to the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, during which he served as the United States Attorney. "I did a massive follow-up with the Secret Service. They did a fabulous job outside the Washington Hilton Hotel when Reagan was shot. This job on that [Butler, Pennsylvania] site was not up to the standards of the Secret Service," he said.
The incident has brought Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle under heavy scrutiny. During a contentious hearing before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, Cheatle admitted that her agency had failed in its mission to protect Trump. Lawmakers from both parties demanded her resignation over the security lapse that allowed a gunman to scale a roof and open fire, hitting Trump in the ear.
"She should be fired," diGenova asserted.
He also expressed concern over the current administration's response to the incident. "We don't even know where [President] Joe Biden is. And who would have the authority to fire her? That's how pathetic the situation is," diGenova said. "Just think about this. We've just had a former president almost killed; the current president is out of sight, unavailable. Nobody knows what his physical or mental condition is. And this woman is up before Congress and won't answer questions."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this story.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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