Aug. 23 (UPI) — Several Secret Service agents have been placed on administrative leave as the firm continues its investigation into the botched assassination of Donald Trump last month, multiple reports indicated Friday.
The news site Real Clear Politics was first to report on the decision, citing three resources in the secret service network that said that under the terms of the administrative leave, the agents maintained their salaries and benefits while the investigation was ongoing.
During a tense hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on July 30, Republicans Rick Scott of Florida and Josh Hawley of Missouri ridiculed acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. and FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate for “lack of transparency” and lack of action. Immediately fire those affected safely on July 13.
Rowe responded that an investigation will have to be completed and that he will not rush to judgment before holding Americans responsible.
The Secret Service reaffirmed Friday that the internal investigation is still ongoing.
“The United States Secret Service is committed to investigating the decisions and movements of a group of workers such as the one that occurred in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. a statement to the media.
“The United States Secret Service demands that our body of workers adhere to the highest professional standards, and any known and substantiated violations of the policy will be investigated through the Office of Professional Responsibility for disciplinary action imaginable.
“As this is a workers’ matter, we cannot comment further. “