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Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), chairman of the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump, issued two subpoenas to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Monday, seeking testimony from two employees about the agency’s response to the July 13 assassination attempt on President-elect Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The subpoenas came after letters from Kelly and Ranking Member Jason Crow (D-Colo.) on October 3 and November 6, requesting documents and testimony.
“The Task Force is continuing to investigate the role and involvement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in the aftermath of both the July 13 and September 15 events. The Task Force sent an initial letter to ATF on October 3, 2024, requesting the production of documents and materials as well as transcribed interviews from select ATF personnel,” Kelly wrote in the letters.
“The Task Force specifically outlined seventeen requests for document production, even going so far as to note which were the priority items. In addition, the Task Force identified three categories of requests for transcribed interviews with relevant ATF agents. ATF’s October 22, response was insufficient and untimely. It was delivered to the Task Force five days past the deadline, and contained less than four and half pages, more than half of which consisted of summary narratives. To date, ATF has failed to produce a single document responsive to the Task Force’s requests and has failed to make any of its personnel available for interviews,” he continued.
The letters also noted the ongoing efforts to obtain information that have been met with inadequate responses from the ATF.
“The Task Force sent a follow-up letter on November 6, 2024, reiterating the Task Force’s requests and threatening compulsory process if ATF failed to provide a substantial production as well as availability dates for relevant employees to sit for transcribed interviews by November 13,” Kelly wrote.
“The Task Force’s pressing need for your testimony is further perpetuated by the condensed timeframe in which it is operating. Given your role in the investigation after the attempted assassination on July 13, the Task Force believes you have critical information pertinent to its inquiry. Accordingly, attached is a deposition subpoena issued pursuant to Rule XI.2(m)(1)(B) of the Rules of the House of Representatives and House Resolution 1367,” he added.
For weeks, ATF had not provided the requested materials or made personnel available for interviews. However, less than an hour after the subpoenas were served, the agency released its first batch of documents to the Task Force.
One subpoena was directed at an agent who was involved in the ATF’s response to the shooting, while the other seeks testimony from a supervisory agent.