Kimberly Cheatle resigns as head of the Secret Service after disgraceful performance before a congressional committee

On Tuesday, embattled Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned the day after a shockingly bad appearance before a congressional committee looking into the security lapses that nearly allowed the Assassination of former President Donald J. Trump (R).

Congressman Dale Strong (R-Huntsville) said on X, "Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigning is the first step in accountability for the failure to protect President Trump, but the American people still deserve real answers. I am committed to continuing this investigation until we uncover the facts."

Congressman Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) said on X, "The Secret Service failed on a no-fail mission under her leadership. It was past time."

Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) said, "I'm glad to hear this news. It was clear to anyone who listened to her testimony that she had no business leading the brave men and women of the Secret Service."

A suspicious person was identified at a Trump rally on July 13 nearly an hour before Trump walked on stage, the suspect was seen using a range finder, Secret Service members and local law enforcement on scene failed to detain the suspect, still the President was allowed to go on stage, the suspect was seen with a rifle climbing the roof of the only building with a clear unobstructed sight of the stage, still nothing was done to prevent Trump from walking on stage, the presidential assassin pointed his AR-15 style rifle at the Butler police officer who was attempting to climb the roof, and still no alarm bells went off to protect the President. Trump was hit in the ear and came within 3 centimeters of being killed that day.

Director Cheatle testified on Monday that she has still not visited the Butler scene where her agency's apparent incompetence almost changed American history. She still had not fired anyone even though nine days had passed since the

Cheatle claimed that the Secret Service did not put a sniper on that roof because it was sloped and thus a safety concern. A team of Congress members climbed up on to that almost roof on Monday and found nothing particularly dangerous about it. There was a water tower at the scene in Butler that would have given a Secret Service counter sniper a clear unobstructed view of the entire scene including the top of that roof and no explanation was given why that order was not given.

Congressman Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) questioned Cheatle on Monday.

"I don't understand how you can continue to stay in the position you're in when this was a failure of historic magnitude," Rep. Palmer said to Cheatle. "Forty-three years without anything like this happening, you failed, in this case, in a spectacular way."

Aderholt said on X, "Thank you @USRepGaryPalmer for your questions of the director of the Secret Service at today's @GOPoversight committee on the failure of security at the Trump rally. The way she has answered today's questions just reinforces my belief she should resign."

Members of both parties denounced Cheatle's refusal to provide any answers to members of Congress on Monday. Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-New York) and numerous other members of Congress called on her to either resign or be fired.

Cheatle was reportedly appointed by aging President Joseph R. Biden (D) because his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, recommended it.

The FBI is leading the investigation into what went wrong in Pennsylvania on July 13. FBI Director Christopher Wray declined the opportunity to discuss the investigation with the committee.

Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) and the House Oversight Committee are also conducting investigations into the inexplicable failures that occurred on July 13.

"I take full responsibility for the security lapse," she said in the email to staff Tuesday that was obtained by The Associated Press. "In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to step down as your director."

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