By Rep. Adrian Smith
The attempted assassination of President Trump at a campaign rally held north of Pittsburgh last weekend has shocked the nation. Thankfully and miraculously, this heinous act of violence failed to take the former president’s life. To the relief of millions of Americans across the country, Trump was escorted away from the event with no life-threatening injuries.
Sadly, two attendees of the rally were seriously injured, and a third man’s life was taken. Tragically, a heroic volunteer fire chief from Sarver, PA named Corey Comperatore was killed while courageously shielding his wife and daughter from the gunfire.
The attack marks a sobering day for our country and reminds us how precious the blessings of life and American liberty are. Violence has no place in our nation’s political life. Such a horrific incident calls everyone from every party and creed to rise above the political division facing the country and affirm what unites us as Americans.
Peacefully resolving differences of opinion and bringing the best ideas forward through civil discourse is a hallmark of the American system of government. No matter how intense debate becomes or how serious our disagreements are, we should never take for granted the timeless tools our Constitution provides to successfully overcome our challenges through healthy debate and an open and transparent government.
I am grateful for the Secret Service agents and other law enforcement officers who reacted bravely and rapidly to secure President Trump’s wellbeing and subdue the shooter on the event grounds. However, the day’s events raise extremely serious concerns about how security failures led to the compromised safety of President Trump and those in attendance. These mistakes must not be allowed to happen again.
In light of this, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to form a bipartisan taskforce to conduct a congressional investigation into the Secret Service’s preparation for and management of the event is imperative. The consequences of law enforcement’s reported failure to promptly address the threat after it was first identified and prevent the shooter from causing such havoc at the rally were tragic and could have been significantly worse. I am fully supportive of House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer’s decision to promptly hold a hearing to review these events and agree with the need to subpoena Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle in order to hear directly from her about the changes needed to prevent future attacks.
As the nation continues to chart its course forward, unity and decency must win out over hatred and cynicism. To accomplish this, it is critical the American people make their voices heard as Congress holds federal officials accountable for these events. Civil discourse and transparency are key components to any truly representative government.
American resolve is the confidence to press on despite setbacks and adversity. With gratitude that President Trump’s life was spared and respect for other victims of last week’s attack, we should renew our resolve to do our part for the benefit of all citizens. Living up to the promise of the motto “E pluribus unum” requires us all to come together so “out of many,” we can be “one.”