Pennsylvania state lawmaker: Local law enforcement is being unjustly criticized
Pennsylvania State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-Butler/Lawrence, speaks out to Fox News Digital about the Trump assassination attempt's effect on his community.
MARS, Pa. – A Pennsylvania state lawmaker whose district inculdes the Butler Farm Show grounds called out the national media for throwing local law enforcement and first responders "under the bus" after the attempted assassination of former President Trump last month.
State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, a Republican who represents Butler and Lawrence counties, said Saturday the media has wrongly criticized Butler County and other local agencies, adding the culpability for security breakdowns falls at the feet of the U.S. Secret Service.
"Our first responders in this situation have been thrown under the bus by those in the national media. That is entirely inappropriate," Bernstine told Fox News Digital. "These individuals did everything that they should have done and took every precaution. This is a complete failure from a tactical standpoint, to a communication standpoint, by the United States Secret Service."
Bernstine said in the time since the shooting, his office has dealt with an uptick in constituent issues as the press, federal agencies, lawmakers and others descend on northwest Pennsylvania.
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Former President Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, is rushed offstage during a rally in Butler, Pa., July 13. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
"That being said, we have great people here. (It is) a great conservative area. I couldn’t be more proud to represent these folks," Berstine said.
"What transpired had nothing to do with our local law enforcement. Our local law enforcement did every single thing that was asked of them. We're so proud of the work that they did. This was a complete security fail by the United States Secret Service."
Bernstine added that he and the state Legislature — currently out of session — originally planned to hold hearings after the deadly rally, but Congress’ response changed minds.
"Congressman Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., are going to do everything they can to uncover what transpired and make sure it never happens again," Bernstine said, adding that the swiftness with which Johnson responded to the tragic event led him to believe Harrisburg didn’t need to get involved.
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U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., speaks to the press July 22, in Butler, Pa. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital )
"Our original plans when this horrible situation occurred were to have hearings, where we would bring people in front of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives. My position on that has changed," he said.
Kelly, who represents Butler and Erie, took part in a bipartisan congressional tour of the rally site and now leads a House task force investigating the assassination attempt.
Bernstine said he and others believe federal House Republicans have directed sufficient resources to their own investigation but that many Harrisburg lawmakers stand ready to pitch in if asked.
After years of full Republican control, the Pennsylvania House has a one-seat Democratic majority, while the GOP retains comfortable command of the state Senate.
Bernstine, who was first elected in what he characterized as the 2016 Trump wave, said he invited the GOP nominee back to his district as soon as he is ready.
"With what transpired — words can't even express the difficulty of what's been on our community — we welcome President Trump back. We look forward to having President Trump back.
"We're going to have a huge rally that is beyond secure for President Trump."
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Pennsylvania state Rep. Aaron Bernstine represents parts of Lawrence and Butler counties. (Office of State Rep. Aaron Bernstine/Pennsylvania House of Representatives)
Trump held his first Pennsylvania event since the shooting last week, speaking to an enormous crowd at the Pennsylvania Farm Show complex west of Harrisburg.
The former president quipped during his remarks that the crowd and complex — which similarly fills up for the century-old agricultural celebration every January — reminded him of Madison Square Garden.
During his interview, Bernstine also paid respects to Corey Comperatore, the Butler-area firefighter who was murdered by attempted assassin Thomas Crooks.
"[He was] one of our neighbors who gave so much to the community," Bernstine said. "This has obviously been a major burden on our community and something that has really been a major burden across this entire nation. And that's why I have done everything in my power to — No. 1 — help our community.
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"But, in addition to that, [we must] be supportive of the work that's being done in Congress to understand what happened, why it happened, who was involved and what are the things that we can do to ensure this never happens again."
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