When there is no transparency

On July 13, 2024, I wasn’t planning to watch President Trump’s Butler, PA rally. I just happened to turn the TV on. When the picture came up, Mr. Trump’s rally had just begun. Within two minutes, I watch the ex-President grab for his ear and then duck for cover.

I immediately that guessed, that Mr. Trump had been the target of an assassination attempt. For the next hour or so, I watched glued to the coverage.

The first question I asked myself was “Where did the shot come from?” I’m old enough to clearly remember the day that President Kennedy was shot from a window of the book depository.

As I listened on July 13, a “detective” was interviewed within minutes of the shooting. The key point that he made was that the Secret Service and FBI must be “entirely transparent during every minute of their investigations.” And yet, somehow, 18 days after the shooting, I find myself relying on CNN, PBS, AP and the NY Times to construct a timeline of events surrounding the attempted assassination

By the time I turned the coverage off, I had five glaring questions:

1. How could even an utterly incompetent Secret Service Head of security for the rally leave a building 147 yards from Trump’s podium — a prime shooting location — entirely unguarded?

2. Precisely at what minute was the SS notified that there was a “suspicious male loitering about the rally?”

3. Precisely at what minute was the SS notified that there was “a man with a rifle?”

4. Why was Trump allowed to go on stage, given the reports of a “suspicious male loitering about the rally?”

5. The minute the SS was notified of “a man with a rifle,” why didn’t the SS prevent Trump from going on stage? If he was already on stage, why wasn’t he dragged off or otherwise protected?

Then, CNN stated:

“US authorities obtained intelligence … in recent weeks of a plot by Iran to try to assassinate Donald Trump.

“NSC directly contacted USSS [Secret Service], at a senior level, to be absolutely sure they continued to track the latest reporting. USSS shared this information with the detail lead … In response to the increased threat, USSS [allegedly] surged resources and assets for the protection of former President Trump. All of this was before 7/13/24.”

But if the SS had indeed been provided with credible information of an Iranian plot, and the “SS shared this information with the detail lead” [the leader of Trump’s SS security detail], how is it possible that that “leader” left a rooftop” podium — the prime shooting location — unguarded?

Consider Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle’s July 22, 2024 “testimony” before the House Oversight Committee. Again, in the words of CNN:

“Cheatle [sparked] frustration among lawmakers for repeatedly dodging questions. … Cheatle is facing a flurry of criticism about how a gunman was able to get a clear line of sight to Trump at the rally.”

Why does a high officer of state, sworn “to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” dodge Congressional questions? Obfuscate?

Did Cheatle have any duty higher than protecting Biden? Trump? Did she not take a separate oath to do that?

The NY Times, citing text messages from local law enforcement officers, writes that at “5:38 p.m., photos are shared via a group chat, along with a text saying a man has been seen with a “range finder looking towards the stage. … man is no longer in sight and that Secret Service snipers should be notified.” (NP & Times).

6:02 p.m.— Trump takes the stage. “God Bless the U.S.A. plays;” Trump waves at the cheering crowd. Trump begins his rally speech. (AP)

6:09 p.m. — Witnesses report seeing a man climbing onto the roof of the one-story building closest to the stage. That man (Crooks) then sets up his AR-style rifle and lays on the rooftop, an estimated 147 yards from where Trump is speaking. (AP)

— Rallygoers yell to officers— pointing and shouting — that an armed man is on the roof. Witnesses capture his image in cellphone video. (AP)

— A local officer climbs to the roof. Crooks turns his gun toward the officer. Officer drops to avoid being shot. (AP)

6:10-6:11 p.m. — Crooks shoots Trump. (AP)

6:12 p.m. — SS advises, “Shooter is down.” (AP)

So, why, nearly 3 full weeks after the attempted assassination, do we have to get our facts from CNN, AP, NY Times and PBS? Why not from the SS or FBI?

Secrecy incubates “conspiracy theories.” Secrecy here breed distrust of both the Secret Service and the FBI. Sunlight and transparency ensure public trust.

First Published in the Moline Dispatch and Rock Island Argus on August 4, 2024. 
Copyright 2024, John Donald O'Shea