WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) issued the following statement: 

“Today, I had the solemn duty of attending the first public hearing of the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump. 

My questions to the actual witnesses focused on the two command posts at the Butler, PA, rally and the operational challenges in and between them. I stressed that the communications failures of July 13 cannot be repeated and urged the Secret Service to ensure effective, unified command and communications at major events moving forward.  

I also had the opportunity to ask our witnesses about the emerging threats that keep them up at night. The answer was unanimously the danger of drones like the one used by the Butler shooter. But at the local level, these officers reported that they are barred from using anti-drone technology. My bill, Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act, would finally close this gap by establishing a pilot program to provide a small number of state and local law enforcement agencies with the authority to use drone mitigation equipment.   

I closed my questioning by noting that we in Congress continue to look behind us to solve for problems that have already happened when we should be looking to the future to anticipate and solve for emerging threats. It is my hope that the Task Force can focus our energies there. 

At the conclusion of the hearing, I hoped to be asked questions about the bipartisan Task Force investigating the two assassination attempts, to discuss the witness testimonies and the progress we are making, and to address the specific areas of questioning we covered today and where we go next. 

At the conclusion of the hearing, I even expected to be asked questions about the disgraceful and racist comments posted to X yesterday by Task Force member Clay Higgins. 

At the conclusion of the hearing, what I didn’t predict was that I would instead be asked questions about the inexplicable late-night addition of a partisan second panel of non-witnesses, upending the serious, nonpolitical investigations we are undertaking. We did not agree to Congressmen Mills’ and Crane’s appearances and were informed too late to invite other witnesses. 

Nevertheless, Crane and Mills both spoke in the hearing room after the actual witnesses, and their participation today casts a shadow over the bipartisan nature of the Task Force. Importantly, I thank the actual witnesses who did testify today. I am deeply grateful for their time and service to our investigation. 

• Mr. Edward Lenz: Sergeant, Adams Township Police Department, Commander, Butler County Emergency Services Unit   

• Mr. Drew Blasko: Patrolman, Butler Township Police Department   

• Mr. John D. Herold: Lieutenant, Pennsylvania State Police   

• Mr. Patrick Sullivan: Former United States Secret Service Agent   

• Dr. Ariel Goldschmidt: Medical Examiner, Allegheny County, Pa. 

The bipartisan Task Force has important work ahead of us, and I am committed to fulfilling our responsibility to it and the American people,” said Houlahan. 

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