After the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner Saturday, many observers and attendees are asking how the shooter, identified in the media as California schoolteacher Cole Tomas Allen, got so close, including New York Congressional Reps.
“Having attended a lot of events, and certainly having attended events with the president and cabinet, locally insufficient when you’re talking about that many people getting into a room of that size,” said Congressman Michael Lawler.
The shooter was a guest of the hotel and wandered to the metal detectors at the entrance of the banquet room. When he got to the metal detectors, he attempted to rush the checkpoint before he was secured by law enforcement.
Lawler said he appreciated that the officers at the metal detectors ended the threat, but he still had questions.
“The Secret Service did their job when they encountered him, and they were able to stop him and detain him, but it shouldn’t even have come to that,” the congressman said.
Of the non-Brooklyn and Queens Long Island congressmen, Democrat Rep. Thomas R. Suozzi was silent, but others spoke up.
Democratic Rep. Lauren Gillen, N.Y.-04, said political violence was the problem.
“Political violence has no place in this country, and we must condemn last night’s actions targeting officials at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” said Gillen. “Thank you to the brave Secret Service and law enforcement agents for their quick action that stopped the gunman and saved lives.”
With the shooter arraigned Monday, the prosecution is a big test for Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who, on April 2, took over for Pam Bondi. Blanche was elevated from his duty as the deputy attorney general.
Blanche is the leader in the clubhouse to get the job, but he is leaving nothing to chance. Look for an aggressive prosecution as the acting AG performs for the vital influence of one.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine F. Pirro, another possible attorney general, will also be on center stage. Pirro is an old friend of the president, going back to New York.
Having shut down the prosecution of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and failing to get indictments against six military veteran Members of Congress who told servicemembers to consider not obeying orders.
New Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin should escape blame for the security breach at the hotel, but what he does afterward with the lessons learned will be his first test—the Secret Service is one of his downtrace agencies.
Of course, all of this comes to a head on Capitol Hill, as there will be hearings—and, maybe, just maybe, Congress will get around to passing the Homeland Security budget.