Congressional Hearing on Security Oversight

Director Cheadle, can you please give me the names of the

individuals who are in

charge of your comm op for the rally?

I'm not going to release names today.

Can you give me the titles?

Um-

And how many individuals?

No, we-

Nothing?

We had a full advance team that was responsible for-

Who were the-

-advancing the site

How many people are the final approval authority?

There are a number of people that are-

Can you give me a number?

-engaged in approving the plan.

Can you give me a number?

No, I do not have-

Okay

... a firm number.

Can you just confirm whether or not, I understand this is an open

investigation,

but, but in ord- in order to dispel conspiracy theorists,

have you guys been able

to subpoena the shooter's Discord records, or has the FBI to your

knowledge?

I believe that the FBI is working on those.

Okay. Is it factual to say that you have not ruled out

that the shooter was working

with other people or persons?

Again, the FBI is conducting the criminal

investigation into the shooter.

Can you, at least in an effort to dispel conspiracy

theories, can you confirm or

deny that?

At this time, we do not have that there were any other people engaged.

So you believe he's acting alone?

I do.

Okay. Have you been made aware of multiple eye-

witness reporting that there was

a sec- a second shooter on a water tower?

I do not have any information related to any second shooter.

Okay. Uh, the reason I ask that is because according to testimony

from multiple witnesses, they did report that.

And again, I-- to my understanding, there were over forty sniper teams

that were

briefed by the Butler ESU, and I wanna make sure that people are

aware, if you're saying that there's not another shooter,

that we are able to clear

that information because from this whole entire briefing, it doesn't seem like much

information has been able to get out to the American people.

So I'm trying to dispel rumors, as I'm sure you understand.

Um, was it true that Secret Service was present at the Butler ESU briefing?

There was a briefing between the, uh, counter-sniper

teams-

Was-

-uh, that were working on the ground

... Secret Service present?

Yes, to my knowledge.

Okay, I want to read you a report from people

that seem to be throwing you

under the bus and stated that they were in attendance and

that Secret Service was

not in attendance at the security briefing, according to individuals with

knowledge. To, and also include that the AGR building where the

shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was located, um, was

actually not a part of their security perimeter for that.

So there was not Secret Service present.

Um, it seems as though that when you were asked earlier from Rep.

Chris Murphy about whether or not Secret Service was aware of a

threat, you had said no, they were unaware of a threat.

And yet, according to communications, again from law, law

enforcement that were in some of these group chats,

they actually had

reported that Secret Service was made aware of a threat at around

five fifty-nine PM as a part of the command, including Secret

Service, aware of messages and requests about in-- uh,

information about

the suspect's location. Can you please tell me if you have

knowledge of that at all?

Again, I think we're conflating the ter- the difference between the

term threat and suspicious.

But you guys did have knowledge at five fifty-nine PM according to those group

chats, did you not?

Of a suspicious individual.

Okay. Um, Chairman, in my opinion, according to some of the

testimony today, I feel that you have perjured yourself in some

instances,

and so I'm going to ask for a full review of the transcripts by staff, and if you

find that to be the case, I do ask that you bring perjury charges against the

director. Um, I will say this, it is very frustrating, and I've

talked to my colleagues and we've said it to your face,

that you have been up here

basically stonewalling our ability to get the answers to the American people.

And what I will also say is that every single member of Congress does

not feel safe

with you in charge. You have heard that, and I think that we are all sitting ducks

with you in directing the Secret Service currently.

Uh, but more importantly, it sends a message to our adversaries

that we are not

protected, and we are one of the strongest countries in the

world, so you have

essentially made us a less safe country because of it.

Um, as a result of that, I'm asking you to formally step down.

I share my same opinions as my Democrat colleagues, and

I also think that your efforts to bring forward a full,

um, investigation and report in sixty days is unacceptable.

And as a result of that, I'm going to do everything in my

legislative toolkit to

ensure that that happens sooner rather than later.

And I'm sure that you know that we brought a vote on inherent

contempt against

Garland for essentially blocking a congressional investigation,

and I don't think

that you should be any different. So, um, I will say that I am just

completely disgusted by your performance today, and I understand that

you're probably in a position where you're being told not to testify, which is why

we had to subpoena you. I think that goes back to Garland.

But again, that is part of the, uh, flushing that we need to get out of

Washington, and I would be happy to assist in

that process.

Chairman, I yield the rest of my time.