Durbin Announces Joint Judiciary-HSGAC Committee Classified Briefing, Hearing On Trump Assassination Attempt

WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, announced that the Committee will receive a classified briefing with the Senate Homeland and Government Affairs Committee (HSGAC) on the assassination attempt against former President Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Durbin also announced a joint Judiciary-HSGAC hearing for next Tuesday morning on the attempt, where the Committees will hear from the Secret Service and the FBI.

Durbin began by paying tribute to the family of Corey Comperatore, whose life was taken far too soon, saying: “A week and a half ago, Americans were shocked to witness on live television an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, as well as the murder of Corey Comperatore at a Pennsylvania political rally. We should all take a moment to reflect on Mr. Comperatore’s family’s loss. His wife reported that when the shots were ringing out, he shielded his wife and children with his body … They have been in my thoughts since the tragic events that afternoon.”

Durbin then outlined the goals of the briefing and the hearing, saying: “We have a responsibility to get to the bottom of how the Secret Service failed to protect former President Trump on July 13. We need to do this on a bipartisan basis. Keep politics out of it … We need to ask probing and important questions.  We need to do it in a responsible way that avoids the kind of incendiary language that has become all too common in our country.”

Durbin then criticized toxic and violent rhetoric being peddled since the shooting, saying: “It is irresponsible for a Member of Congress to accuse the opposing political party of being ‘flat out evil and … [trying] to murder President Trump.’ But, a Member of Congress actually said that. Another Member said, ‘Joe Biden sent the orders.’ Those kinds of statements are so irresponsible and mean-spirited … As a country, we have become desensitized to the toxic and violent rhetoric that some politicians have embraced as standard fare.”

Durbin concluded his speech with a call to stop political violence everywhere, saying: “As the most powerful democracy in the world, the eyes of our allies and rivals are always on us. Our political discourse should reflect our solemn responsibility to encourage free and fair elections, not just abroad but at home. Because in the land of the free, everyone should feel safe expressing their political views and participating in this country’s most sacred and fought-for legacy, a free and fair democracy.”

Video of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s floor speech is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s floor speech is available here for TV Stations.

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