The months-long battle between former President Trump’s campaign and the Secret Service under President Biden’s administration is back in the spotlight as the Republican National Convention draws closer to Trump’s assassination attempt.
“My staff and I are in touch with the coordinated security planning for the RNC and will continue to communicate closely as we learn more about this situation,” wrote Gov. Tony Evers, D-Wis., in X.
Trump was injured in an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Friday night but was treated at a local hospital and is otherwise fine. After shots were fired at the event, Trump appeared bloodied on the face and was escorted off stage by Secret Service agents.
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As planning gets underway for next week’s convention, where Trump will be the official Republican presidential nominee, Republicans and the leaders of law enforcement and the Secret Service are fighting over security measures.
In a May letter, Republican National Committee counsel Todd R. Steggerda wrote to Kimberly A. Cheatle, director of the Secret Service, “Your failure to act now to prevent the unnecessary and certain risk of endangering tens of thousands of convention attendees, is inexcusable. with the now-planned First Amendment Zone,” the New York Times reported.
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The Secret Service denied Steggerda’s concerns at the time, claiming numerous meetings between convention staff and leaders had taken place, and that he felt “confident in the security plan that was developed.”
At the center of the security concern is a First Amendment zone for protesters that would initially allow protesters to get close to conventioneers — something that Republicans are pushing for. Republicans have repeatedly pushed to move the zone away from the convention site.
The RNC in particular expects more than 50,000 to attend the convention.
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While Republicans are trying to push demonstrators further from the convention site, activists are working at the same time to gain more access to the RNC. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024 have filed a lawsuit against Milwaukee, claiming their First Amendment rights have been violated. The group specifically wants to parade near the Fiserv Forum, where the RNC will be.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig lost to the group, ruling that they did not have the right to protest directly in front of the RNC, according to the Associated Press.
At one point, the Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, characterizing the clash, said, “Demonstrators like to go on stage at the Fiserv Forum, and the RNC prefers the same on the moon. But we need to strike the right balance to make sure that they can do the right First Amendment and I’ve done it,” he told Politico.
However, the “balance” has been re-examined after the assassination attempt on Trump.
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“The Director of the Secret Service needs to come out ASAP and let us know how this happened and how everyone at the RNC and DNC conventions will be safe,” said Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., on X.
Scott, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, also demanded a hearing before next month to demand answers from the Department of Homeland Security, DHS and the Secret Service about how the assassination attempt happened and how it was possible. is being investigated.
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The Secret Service and the RNC did not immediately comment to Fox News Digital.
In a statement after the incident, the Trump campaign reiterated its intention to attend the RNC, saying, “President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we continue our convention to nominate him to be the 47th President of the United States. As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share the vision to Make America Great Again.