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House speaker says task force will investigate Trump shooting in Butler

MILWAUKEE — House Speaker Mike Johnson said Wednesday that he would form a bipartisan task force to investigate security lapses at the rally where former President Donald Trump was shot.

He also said he would call for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation.

Johnson told the Fox News Channel that he would set up the task force on Monday, the same day the House Oversight Committee will question Cheatle.

“I'll be setting up on Monday a task force, a special task force within the House, and the reason we're going to do it that way is because that is a more precise strike. It goes quicker, there's not a lot of the procedural hurdles, and we'll have subpoena authority for that task force as well. It'll be comprised of Republicans and Democrats to get down to the bottom of this quickly, so the American people can get the answers that they deserve.”

Speaking to Pennsylvania delegates at the Republican National Convention Tuesday, Johnson said: “Obviously, there were security lapses there” on Saturday.

From what he knows so far, he said Cheatle should resign.

“Look, I think it's inexcusable,” he said. “Just beyond the classified parts, the things that we all understand, her explanation to the media that there was a slant on the roof, so there was safety concern, it doesn’t wash. And I think she's shown what her priorities are. I don't know her personally, but we'll be asking lots of questions.”

The Senate Homeland Security Committee announced its own probe, and President Joe Biden announced an independent investigation of security at the rally at the Butler Farm Show.

Trump was grazed by a bullet while one person was killed and two seriously hurt when a shooter opened fire during the former president’s rally shortly after he began to speak before a crowd of thousands of people. The attack has been a major subject of speeches during the national convention, which began Monday.

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