Secret Service director Kim Cheatle, who by all accounts got the job because she’s Jill Biden’s pal, will reportedly appear before Congress this week. Here are a few questions Senators and Congresspersons might want to ask:

*Should Secret Service (SS) agents tasked with bodily covering a protectee be large enough to bodily cover a protectee? If not, why not?

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*If agents don’t need to be large enough to cover a protectee, does this vindicate your goal of a 30% female Secret Service?

*The population is roughly 50% female. Why only 30%? Why not 50%? Why not more?

*Should SS agents be able to holster their handguns?  If they shouldn’t, why not?

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*At Former President Trump’s Pennsylvania rally, how many actual SS agents were present?

*How many personnel from other government agencies were carrying out protective roles normally reserved for SS protective detail agents? From which agencies and how many from each?  How many were female?

*It has been reported there were no canines helping to secure the premises.  If not, why not?

*It has been reported unauthorized persons were allowed backstage that day. Is this true, and if so, why? You have said the SS was solely responsible for all aspects of security at the rally. Who, specifically, allowed it and why?

*It has been reported the SS operated no drones that day.  If not, why not?

*It has been reported the assassin flew a drone that day over the rally scene and more than once. Was that drone spotted by anyone? Did anyone do anything about it?

*It has been reported the assassin was seen near a magnetometer at least three hours before Trump spoke. He was using a rangefinder. Would you think that suspicious? Why didn’t anyone detain and question him?  

*Reports indicate he was seen again at least once with a rangefinder, and was also seen on separate occasions carrying a ladder and carrying a backpack. No one detained or contacted him on any of those occasions. Is this the performance you expect of SS agents?

*Shouldn’t any SS agent seeing someone using a rangefinder at such a site think they were setting up a killing shot, or doing it for someone else? Shouldn’t they immediately detain and question such a person?

*Wasn’t the rooftop of the building from which the assassin killed one and wounded three, including Mr. Trump, an obvious danger of just that sort of attack? If so, why wasn’t it completely secured?

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*You’ve said no agents were posted on the roof because it was too steep. It wasn’t too steep for the assassin, and after he was dead, agents had no difficulty mounting and working on it. SS agents work on rooftops with much steeper pitch, including the White House, every day. Would you like to retract your excuse? If not, why did you make that statement?

*You said three snipers were positioned in that building. Were they each accompanied by spotters?

*You have said those personnel were supposed to look out windows. Isn’t putting snipers in rooms, looking out ground floor windows, limiting them? Isn’t that a waste of highly trained personnel?

*Shouldn’t every counter sniper team be on high ground with a specific zone to cover rather than securing a building from the inside?

*How many SS personnel and other personnel were stationed in that building? From which agencies, and will you provide their numbers from each agency?

*You said they were ordered to “secure the building from the inside.” Why would anyone secure a building from the inside when every threat against Mr. Trump was outside?

*Do you now wish you has assigned personnel to secure the outside and roof of that building? If so, why?

*Would you agree that your decisions regarding SS coverage of President Trump created security vulnerabilities the assassin was able to exploit? If you do not agree, would you agree personnel under your command made such decisions and created such vulnerabilities? 

*It has been reported your counter snipers saw the assassin on the rooftop, with a rifle, at least 20 minutes before he fired. Is this true? If so, can you explain why they allowed him to shoot first?

*It has been reported SS spokesmen said SS personnel on the scene did not consider the assassin a threat until he produced a gun. Is that the SS standard for threat identification? Do assassins get to shoot first?

*Despite your personnel seeing the assassin, on the rooftop, with a rifle, no one kept President Trump from taking the stage, and no one removed him from the stage until after he was shot. Can you explain this?

*You have said “the buck stops here,” and said you take responsibility for the failure of the SS. Do you likewise accept any consequences for those failures, and if so, what might they be?

*Finally, Madam Director, what the hell is wrong with you?

Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.