Memphis Standard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) questioned U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Acting Director Ronald Rowe and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate regarding the failures that led to the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.

"Director Rowe, I want to come to you first because a counter sniper has decided to speak out about the culture at your agency. And I think it is very telling. And he sent an email. And I'm going to quote from that, 'If this agency needs to change, and if not now, when? The next assassination in 30 days?' But here's what I want to talk with you about, because in this email, he says, and I'm quoting again, 'The motto of the USSS is CYA, and every supervisor is doing it now.' That's the end of his quote. So, you're the guy in charge. And you're one of those supervisors; you've been a career guy there at the Secret Service. The public has lost trust in the ability to execute the mission to protect. And I want to know how you feel about the fact that employees in your agency are worried about covering their behind and not worried about protecting a former president."

Rowe acknowledged the existence of a whistleblower within the Secret Service and emphasized the need for transparency within the agency.

"What about other whistleblowers? What about this culture? Are you going to allow these whistleblowers to speak out because it is troublesome if somebody went into the server and deleted that email? I would hope you will get to the bottom of that and be able to provide some answers. Because this is as you have heard from both sides; this is a situation that cannot be allowed to happen again."

Senator Blackburn also addressed concerns regarding how the FBI characterized Trump's attempted assassin.

"You had mentioned a social media account that espoused anti-immigrant, antisemitic views, but you did not say what platform that was on and what the username was. And this is Crooks that we're discussing… Would you supply that and also the age at which he had those feelings… And then we understand that the Gab account is pro-immigration, pro-lock down, Leftist views. Is that accurate… Okay, and what age and how fresh is that Gab account… Okay. And the other preceded that maybe he was age 14."