Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. on Thursday got into a heated shouting match with Rep. Pat Fallon after Fallon accused him of jeopardizing the presidential candidates’ security by appearing behind them at a 9/11 memorial event.
“Don’t invoke 9/11 for political purposes!” Rowe shouted at the Republican congressman.
“You wanted to be visible because you were auditioning for this job!” Fallon responded.
A House panel that has been investigating the Trump assassination attempts summoned Rowe to testify at its final hearing before it issues a report on the attempts on the president-elect’s life. Congress members have frequently criticized the Secret Service for failing to stop a man from shooting Trump in the ear at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally in July. Pressure from Congress resulted in the former Secret Service director, Kimberly Cheatle, resigning over the security failures, and Rowe stepped into the role in late July.
At the hearing, Fallon put up a photo of Rowe standing behind President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Donald Trump at the 9/11 event at Ground Zero. He criticized Rowe for appearing behind them, arguing he compromised their security since the special agent in charge of the security detail was supposed to be behind them. Rowe lashed out at Fallon’s accusation, saying the security detail was in place to protect the candidates and that he was there to pay respect to a former Secret Service agent who died in the September 11th terrorist attacks.
“I was there going through the ashes of the World Trade Center. I was there at Fresh Kills,” Rowe said. “On our country’s darkest day … you will not politicize it! … I was there to show respect!”
“That’s a bunch of horse hockey!” Fallon responded.
“You’re a bully,” Rowe later said to Fallon as the panel’s chairman gaveled order.
