Kimberly Cheatle was named the 27th Director of the United States Secret Service, where she is responsible for “executing the agency’s integrated mission of protection and investigations by leading a diverse workforce composed of more than 7,800 Special Agents, Uniformed Division Officers, Technical Law Enforcement Officers, and Administrative, Professional, and Technical personnel,” according to her bio at the Secret Service website.
Coming from a role in the private sector as top security officer at the global food and beverage giant Pepsi, Cheatle had previously spent nearly three decades in the Secret Service, rising to Assistant Director.
That background and the relative merits of Cheatle’s qualifications as Director were called into question by U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) after the failed attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday night rocked the nation.
Burchett said “somebody really dropped the ball” and insinuated that the Secret Service was being led by an inept hire — a “DEI initiative person” — and that different leadership would have foiled the shooter, since “there must have been a ladder or something” that the Secret Service failed to see, Burchett said.
GOP Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) on Fox News blames a “DEI person” in the Secret Service for Trump’s shooting. @atrupar
*This is a disqualifying statement from a lawmaker known for making disqualifying statements.*pic.twitter.com/EB3U8QaRhS
— The Intellectualist (@highbrow_nobrow) July 14, 2024
Amidst calls by politicians in both major parties, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) to “turn down the temperature” in the U.S., others like Burchett sought to turn it up in the aftermath of the assassination attempt.
[Johnson, appearing on the Today show, said: “We’ve got to turn the temperature down in this country. We need leaders of all parties on both sides to call that out and make sure that happens so that we can go forward and maintain our free society that we all are blessed to have.”]
Responding to Burchett’s assertion, Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) amplified Burchett and questioned the thinking that led to his conclusion writing: “This assassination attempt has to do with race? I’m sorry, WHAT? A white male Republican shot at a white male Republican. It was awful. Violence has never been the answer. So why make this about race/gender? Grow up!”
This assassination attempt has to do with race? I’m sorry, WHAT? A white male Republican shot at a white male Republican. It was awful. Violence has never been the answer. So why make this about race/gender? Grow up! https://t.co/vyFZFsiiKl
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) July 14, 2024