Bipartisan House committee investigates shooting that injured Donald Trump

Johnson and Jeffries did not name the task force members, but Jeffries will not sign his contract unless Johnson signals that he will appoint lawmakers who are serious about the task force’s mission, said three people familiar with the process who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss private conversations.

The shooting during the July 13 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, left one person dead, two others seriously injured and Trump wounded, who was dragged off the stage by Secret Service agents. The gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed by law enforcement officers at the scene.

A similar bipartisan effort to investigate the attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters on January 6, 2021, failed after then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (Democrat, California) appointed two Republicans to the committee, which then-Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (Republican, California) opposed.

Professor Peter Loge, director of the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, said there is reason to believe the task force can achieve its goals, even if high partisan rancor on both sides is stalling key legislation.

“I think this could accomplish something,” Loge told the Washington Post on Tuesday, noting that lawmakers from both parties condemned the shooting immediately after it and denounced politically motivated violence. “This is an opportunity to remind everyone that we agree that this is not normal, this is not OK.”

Loge said he would look to see whether the task force members not only represent both political parties but also demonstrate “actual ideological diversity.” He also said he wants to see whether the witnesses called to testify have worked under both Republican and Democratic administrations, describing them as the “smartest and most qualified and least obviously political” experts.

“When something big and scary happens, we try to figure out what it means,” Loge said. “Usually it’s a lot of different things at once.” How comprehensively and thoroughly the task force investigates these questions will determine how effective the task force is, he said.

The normalization of political threats and violence in America, the availability of guns and the bureaucratic failure to protect presidential candidates could all be contributing factors to the shooting, he said. “If the shooting is about the failure of an individual or agency, Congress holds hearings, people get fired and we move on,” he said.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Johnson said those appointed to the committee would be announced by the end of the week and would “have expertise in the areas concerned.”

A final report from the task force will be available by December 13, he said. “There is too much at stake. It is a very dangerous time,” Johnson said. “We need the Secret Service to step up and perform at its best.”

After Johnson spoke, it was announced that Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle had resigned. “As your director, I take full responsibility for the security breach,” she wrote in a letter to agency employees obtained by The Post. “In light of recent events, it is with a heavy heart that I have made the difficult decision to resign as your director.”

During the previous press conference, Johnson had reiterated his call for her dismissal. “Mismanagement and utter incompetence are unfortunately not impeachable offenses, but there are other ways to achieve the desired goals,” he said, pointing out that Republicans have a resolution calling on President Biden to “do his job and fire her.”

In a statement, Biden said Cheatle had selflessly dedicated her life and dedication to protecting our country throughout her career in the U.S. intelligence community. He also announced that he would appoint a new director “soon.”

Marianna Sotomayor contributed to this report.