Tuesday morning news: July 23, 2024

AUDIO : [Gavel] I want to welcome everyone here today. Without objection, the chair may declare a recess at any time.

PAUL BUTLER, NEWS ANCHOR: Secret Service hearing » House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer gaveling in a hearing to examine the security failures that almost led to the assassination of former President Donald Trump.

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle took center stage at that hearing testifying to her own agency’s role in the breakdown:

CHEATLE: The Secret Service's solemn mission is to protect our nation's leaders. On July 13th, we failed. As the director of the United States Secret Service, I take full responsibility for any security lapse of our agency.

Cheatle went on to admit that the Secret Service was repeatedly notified that there was a suspicious person in the area, but made no efforts to halt the rally.

Committee members had tough questions for Cheatle, but she dodged many of them saying the FBI investigation is still ongoing. GOP Congresswoman Lisa McClain said she wasn’t impressed by Cheatle’s responses.

MCCLAIN: The Secret Service has a leadership problem, and it falls on you. And although I appreciate your hollow words that the buck stops here, I was actually hoping for some answers.

And not all of the criticism came from Republicans. Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questioned why Cheatle has been so slow to provide answers to Congress.

CORTEZ: The notion of a report coming out in 60 days when the threat environment is so high in the United States, irrespective of party, is not acceptable.

Republican Congressman Mark Green said in his view, there’s only one appropriate response to the investigation: a change of leadership.

GREEN: If you're an elite unit, which the Secret Service should be, that's what happens when you screw up. You're fired. And she needs to go.

Cheatle remains defiant saying she has no intention to voluntarily resign.

SOUND: [COMMITTEE ARRIVING BY SUV TO THE SITE]

Homeland Security House Committee tours the site of Trump rally » Meanwhile, the House Homeland Security Committee on Monday visited the Pennsylvania site first hand to learn what may have led to the security failures.

The ten members were briefed on repeated requests by Trump’s security detail for additional resources requests that top officials at the Secret Service reportedly denied.

Mississippi Republican Representative Michael Guest:

GUEST: Those lack of resources required secret service to depend more heavily on local law enforcement. And we know that the secret service failed to secure a strategic location with a direct line of sight to where the president was speaking.

Democrat Representative Glenn Ivey of Maryland said what he saw raises a lot of additional questions.

IVEY: I think there's a lot of issues here that probably strongly suggested we never should have had the event here to start with…I think we definitely want to make sure we investigate those and get to the bottom of what happened that day.

During a press conference after the tour, many of the representatives said they were ready to add their voices calling for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle’s resignation.

Support coalescing around Harris » It’s been a busy couple of days for Vice President Kamala Harris—officially launching her presidential campaign and raking in $81 million within the first 24 hours.

The Biden campaign team rebranded its website Monday to feature a “Harris for President” logo and merchandise featuring the vice president. Harris visited campaign staff at headquarters in Delaware yesterday.

With Biden out of the presidential race many leading Democrats are now lining up to throw their support behind the current vice president as the Democratic nominee.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro told reporters yesterday that Harris is the perfect choice:

SHAPIRO: Not only because of how honorably she has served in the past, but how absolutely ready she is to be president and to be the standard bearer for our Party.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear says he’s also firmly behind the vice president and touted a personal phone call he received from her Sunday.

BESHEAR: I pledged my support to her, and the rest of that conversation, I said would stay between us we have a trust and we're able to exchange ideas and give advice oftentimes, it's her giving me advice, sometimes it's me giving her advice, but it meant it meant the world to have a direct call.

Other Harris supporters include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Some Democratic leaders are remaining silent though. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and current Speaker Hakeem Jeffries have yet to endorse Harris.

Harris VP » If Vice President Kamala Harris replaces President Biden at the top of the ticket, that begs the question: Who replaces Harris as the vice presidential nominee?

Some momentum is growing behind Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.

Rhode Island delegate Kristen Peters-Hamlin is among those backing Kelly for several reasons:

HAMLIN:  Arizona is a swing state. He's done very well in Arizona, attracting Latinos and suburban women who are key to winning this election.

She said the center-left senator could help appeal to more moderate voters, a possible counterbalance to Harris’ hard left ideology. And …

HAMLIN:  Replacing him in the Senate would be easy because of the Constitution in Arizona, which requires that it be from the same party.

Other top names in the rumor mill include Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Israel update » The Israel Defense Forces are ordering Palestinian civilians to evacuate the southern refuge city of Khan Yunis ahead of an operation against Hamas terrorists in southern Gaza.

IDF intel shows terrorist infrastructure in the designated humanitarian area and significant terror activity, including rocket attacks launched from the region.

The operation comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to D.C. to address Congress and meet with President Biden.

NETANYAHU: I will tell my friends on both sides of the aisle that regardless who the American people choose as their next president, Israel remains America's indispensable and strong ally in the Middle East.

The prime minister is looking to anchor bipartisan support for Israel ahead of a potential power shift this fall.

I’m Paul Butler.

Straight ahead: The Secret Service in the hot seat. Plus, the rise of home births in America.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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