House GOP grapples with conflicting investigations into Trump assassination attempt
Some conservatives voiced their concerns on Monday regarding the perceived sluggish pace of the bipartisan task force examining the shooting of the former president.
TroibNews 
Last month, Speaker Mike Johnson swiftly initiated a bipartisan examination into the attempt on Donald Trump's life. This Monday, House conservatives expressed their unique approaches to the investigation.
Johnson, along with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, appointed members to a task force designed to ascertain the security lapses linked to the incident and to devise strategies to prevent future occurrences. The panel, which garnered unanimous support from House members, is vested with subpoena power and has consolidated all related inquiries under its purview to streamline the process.
Despite these arrangements, certain conservative House members have opted to pursue independent investigations. This reflects a broader dissatisfaction regarding the composition of the task force and the progress of ongoing probes within both Congress and the executive branch. Although Johnson aimed to include "serious" Republicans on the task force and appointed several conservative figures, he has faced criticism from more right-leaning colleagues accusing him of marginalizing dissenting voices within the party.
On Monday, five conservative representatives organized a discussion at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, committing to an autonomous investigation of the assassination attempt. They scrutinized the security measures implemented prior to the incident and called for whistleblowers to step forward.
“While this is the first hearing ... it won’t be the last,” stated Rep. Cory Mills at the event in Washington. “This is a message to all of Congress. … There are members [and] conservatives who will not be silenced.”
Concurrently, in Butler, Pennsylvania, the bipartisan task force visited the site of Trump’s July 13 rally and met with local authorities, providing updates to the press following the Washington event.
Facing the challenge of limited resources compared to the official task force, which has the authority to enforce subpoenas, the conservative-led investigation must rely primarily on whistleblower testimony and public records.
The established bipartisan task force includes representatives from the House Freedom Caucus, such as Mark Green and Clay Higgins, though Rep. Matt Gaetz advocated unsuccessfully for the inclusion of Cory Mills and Eli Crane, who are now part of the independent conservative inquiry.
Members of the main task force emphasized their preeminent role in the inquiry, as designated by recent legislation. “According to the legislation that was passed last month, we are the sole task force of jurisdiction for this House of Representatives for this investigation. And we are proceeding that way,” explained Rep. Jason Crow, the leading Democrat on the panel.
Rep. Laurel Lee noted the authority of the task force to subpoena records, underscoring its capabilities.
The task force, slated to release a comprehensive report by mid-December, has been briefed by the FBI and Secret Service, reflecting its extensive investigative reach.
Chairing the task force, Rep. Mike Kelly highlighted its bipartisan essence, stating, “We are U.S. representatives — not Democrats, not Republicans, but both — searching for the answers and reassuring the American people that we can work together and we can get the right answers so this doesn’t happen again.”
However, the exclusively Republican group has expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the overall investigation, suggesting that subpoenas should have been issued immediately after the incident. They argued that delays might provoke additional public skepticism.
“It’s imperative that we continue to conduct oversight regarding the actions and failures that occurred on and surrounding July 13,” affirmed Rep. Eli Crane.
While both factions focus on aspects such as rally security and event management, the GOP group has hinted at possible negligence or malicious intent behind the security breaches.
Emphasizing diligence, Kelly reassured the press that accuracy takes precedence over speed in their findings: “Getting to the truth is a slow process.” He stressed the importance of thorough and credible outcomes, ensuring public trust and understanding.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
Johnson, along with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, appointed members to a task force designed to ascertain the security lapses linked to the incident and to devise strategies to prevent future occurrences. The panel, which garnered unanimous support from House members, is vested with subpoena power and has consolidated all related inquiries under its purview to streamline the process.
Despite these arrangements, certain conservative House members have opted to pursue independent investigations. This reflects a broader dissatisfaction regarding the composition of the task force and the progress of ongoing probes within both Congress and the executive branch. Although Johnson aimed to include "serious" Republicans on the task force and appointed several conservative figures, he has faced criticism from more right-leaning colleagues accusing him of marginalizing dissenting voices within the party.
On Monday, five conservative representatives organized a discussion at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, committing to an autonomous investigation of the assassination attempt. They scrutinized the security measures implemented prior to the incident and called for whistleblowers to step forward.
“While this is the first hearing ... it won’t be the last,” stated Rep. Cory Mills at the event in Washington. “This is a message to all of Congress. … There are members [and] conservatives who will not be silenced.”
Concurrently, in Butler, Pennsylvania, the bipartisan task force visited the site of Trump’s July 13 rally and met with local authorities, providing updates to the press following the Washington event.
Facing the challenge of limited resources compared to the official task force, which has the authority to enforce subpoenas, the conservative-led investigation must rely primarily on whistleblower testimony and public records.
The established bipartisan task force includes representatives from the House Freedom Caucus, such as Mark Green and Clay Higgins, though Rep. Matt Gaetz advocated unsuccessfully for the inclusion of Cory Mills and Eli Crane, who are now part of the independent conservative inquiry.
Members of the main task force emphasized their preeminent role in the inquiry, as designated by recent legislation. “According to the legislation that was passed last month, we are the sole task force of jurisdiction for this House of Representatives for this investigation. And we are proceeding that way,” explained Rep. Jason Crow, the leading Democrat on the panel.
Rep. Laurel Lee noted the authority of the task force to subpoena records, underscoring its capabilities.
The task force, slated to release a comprehensive report by mid-December, has been briefed by the FBI and Secret Service, reflecting its extensive investigative reach.
Chairing the task force, Rep. Mike Kelly highlighted its bipartisan essence, stating, “We are U.S. representatives — not Democrats, not Republicans, but both — searching for the answers and reassuring the American people that we can work together and we can get the right answers so this doesn’t happen again.”
However, the exclusively Republican group has expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of the overall investigation, suggesting that subpoenas should have been issued immediately after the incident. They argued that delays might provoke additional public skepticism.
“It’s imperative that we continue to conduct oversight regarding the actions and failures that occurred on and surrounding July 13,” affirmed Rep. Eli Crane.
While both factions focus on aspects such as rally security and event management, the GOP group has hinted at possible negligence or malicious intent behind the security breaches.
Emphasizing diligence, Kelly reassured the press that accuracy takes precedence over speed in their findings: “Getting to the truth is a slow process.” He stressed the importance of thorough and credible outcomes, ensuring public trust and understanding.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
