House task force investigating Trump assassination attempt demands briefings

The House task force formed to investigate July’s assassination attempt on former President Trump made its first official moves Monday, making requests for documents and briefings from key agencies involved with and investigating the shooting.

Task force Chair Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) and ranking member Jason Crow (D-Colo.) sent one letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, and another to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

In the letters, the panel’s leaders plant a flag as the House’s investigative authority in the assassination attempt matter, saying its request will “supersede” all others from House committees and members. The departments and agencies should provide “all documents and information that have been produced to date” in response to other House committees and members so far, the letters say, and provide the task force directly with information going forward.

Kelly and Crow also requested a briefing with representatives of the respective departments and bureaus “no later than August 16.”

The task force, which was approved in a rare unanimous roll call vote, will consolidate various House investigations into the shooting at the Butler, Pa., rally last month in which a 20-year-old suspected gunman left Trump with an injured ear, one rally attendee dead, and two others critically injured.

Before the task force was created, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee held a brutal hearing with then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle. Lawmakers in both parties were frustrated with her refusal to provide more information about the shooting and called for her resignation. Cheatle stepped down the next day.

The task force is set to produce a final report by Dec. 13 but will have interim reports along the way, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said.

It will also make any recommendations for reforms to government agencies in light of the attack, as well as any legislation necessary to make those reforms.