the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned on Tuesday, succumbing to mounting pressure following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The resignation, came just a day after she faced bipartisan scrutiny during testimony before the House Oversight Committee and over a week after the attempt on Trump’s life at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
Details of the Incident
In her resignation letter to the U.S. Secret Service, Cheatle expressed her deep regret over the events of July 13. “To the Men and Women of the U.S. Secret Service, the Secret Service’s solemn mission is to protect our nation’s leaders and financial infrastructure,” Cheatle wrote. “On July 13th, we fell short on that mission.”
She acknowledged the intense scrutiny the agency faced and took full responsibility for the security lapse. “As your Director, I take full responsibility for the security lapse,” she wrote.
Resignation and Aftermath
President Joe Biden, who did not fire Cheatle in the 10 days following the shooting, expressed gratitude for her service. “As a leader, it takes honor, courage, and incredible integrity to take full responsibility for an organization tasked with one of the most challenging jobs in public service,” Biden said. “We all know what happened that day can never happen again. As we move forward, I wish Kim all the best.”
Cheatle emphasized that the incident does not define the Secret Service. “We remain an organization based on integrity and staffed by individuals of exceptional dedication and talent,” she wrote, adding that the agency “will move forward with our investigatory and protective mission in a steadfast manner.”
Testimony Before Congress
Cheatle testified before the House Oversight Committee on July 22, facing tough questions about the security failures that allowed Thomas Crooks, a 20-year-old would-be assassin, to come dangerously close to killing Trump. Crooks fired an AR-15-style rifle at Trump, narrowly missing his head by a quarter of an inch and instead hitting his upper right ear. The bullet killed firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was protecting his family, and severely injured two others.
During her testimony, Cheatle admitted the agency’s failure. “On July 13th, we failed,” she said. “As the director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse of our agency. We must learn what happened and I will move heaven and earth to ensure that an incident like July 13th does not happen again.”
Criticism and Calls for Resignation
House Republicans, including House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, had been calling for Cheatle’s resignation, accusing her and the agency of incompetence. “It is my firm belief, Director Cheatle, that you should resign,” Comer said during the hearing. “The safety of Secret Service protectees is not based on their political affiliation. And the bottom line is that under Director Cheatle’s leadership, we question whether anyone is safe.”
Future Steps for the Secret Service
In her resignation letter, Cheatle reflected on her career and dedication to the agency. She served as a special agent for 27 years, securing events for then-First Lady Hillary Clinton, working as a supervisor on then-Vice President Dick Cheney’s detail, and overseeing the agency’s protective mission under the Trump Administration.
“Thank you for all that you do, and will continue to do, for our great nation,” Cheatle wrote, signing the letter “kac.”
President Biden is expected to appoint a new director soon to lead the Secret Service and address the ongoing investigation into the security lapse.
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She’s bad news…
She should have known that taking any type of positions such as hers should have the term “punching bag” appended to the organizational title. That’s the military model of command.
And another rule: Never feck with agents.