Staff Reports
Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania has landed a big role in the aftermath of an event no American should ever have to face: an assassination attempt on a former president. This is no small feat, as it underscores just how serious and historic the situation is for the country. The task at hand is nothing less than safeguarding democracy itself—no pressure, right? Kelly will chair a special bipartisan task force to investigate the shocking events that transpired at Trump’s July rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a deranged gunman opened fire, leaving one person dead and two seriously injured.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced the 13-member task force, comprising numerous Republican heavyweights ready to tackle this critical mission. Alongside Kelly are distinguished figures like Mark Green, who heads the Homeland Security Committee, and Clay Higgins, a Louisiana representative with a flair for straightforwardness. No “common sense” gun laws or soft-on-crime policies here; these Republicans are firm believers in law and order, and they’re stepping up in a big way.
House leaders name task force members to probe Trump shooting; panel led by Rep. Kelly of Pa. pic.twitter.com/xqNyeXQ0NB
— SUNSHINE (@liu99342349) July 30, 2024
However, Democrats are along for the ride, albeit as the passengers in the back seat. Rep. Jason Crow, a Democrat from Colorado, earns the dubious honor of ranking member, while others like Lou Correa and Madeleine Dean take up the rest of the dwindling Democrat roster. With a backdrop of events that can only be described as a wake-up call for America, this task force has been assembled to get to the bottom of the attack with the urgency that the situation demands.
While the bipartisan support is noteworthy—416-0 in a recent House resolution to establish the task force—it also serves as a stark reminder of the differences in the political landscape. Unlike previous committees muddled in partisan bickering, like those investigating the January 6th Capitol riot, this task force seems to be laser-focused on uncovering facts and providing meaningful solutions. Johnson, in his infinite wisdom, proposed forming this task force to consolidate the investigative efforts already underway by several committees, paving a more streamlined avenue for accountability.
Much of the scrutiny surrounds why certain names were omitted from the task force. Democratic Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, who has been vocal about his idea of stripping Trump of Secret Service protection should he find himself behind bars, apparently expressed little interest in joining the task force. This revelation only adds to the skepticism surrounding the task force would have if it included members who may not consider themselves unbiased. The House Freedom Caucus chimed in to stress the importance of objectivity, making it clear that they weren’t keen on having Thompson’s presence overshadow the crucial work ahead.
The clock is ticking as the task force has until December 13 to present its findings. Given that it has the power to subpoena witnesses, this bipartisan group is expected to dig deep and deliver recommendations that will hopefully never need to be acted upon again. If anyone thought that facing down the threats against a former president was business as usual, think again. The stakes are high, and every American should care about the final outcomes of this investigation, regardless of political leanings.
