Latest news with #MikeKelly
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Four experienced candidates are vying to be the sole guaranteed new face on Spokane Valley City Council
Jul. 17—Regardless of the outcome of elections, a new face will join the Spokane Valley City Council next year in Position 1. Spokane Valley has what is known as a council-city manager model of government, with the city council made up of seven nonpartisan members. Unlike in Spokane, where the mayor has real power over the day-to-day operations of city government, Spokane Valley's mayor is a council member who oversees meetings. Also unlike Spokane, elections for city council positions represent the whole city, not just specific districts. Incumbent Rod Higgins, a former mayor and the longest-serving member of the council, opted not to run for re-election to Position 1 earlier this year. "I can tell you firsthand, no, I don't think I'm Joe Biden, at least not in that bad of shape yet," Higgins told The Spokesman-Review in May. "But I can feel that I'm losing a step and stuff, and it's time for somebody else to get in there." In the mix to be that "somebody else" are businessman and former state Senate candidate Mike Kelly; attorney Lisa Miller, who sits on the Spokane County Board of Equalization; mixed martial arts fighter and former firefighter Adam "Smash" Smith; and Kris Pockell, a software engineer who co-owns the Valley hot sauce producer Elixir Sauce Co. The two candidates to receive the most votes in the Aug. 6 primary will advance to the general election, and the winner will take office after the new year. None of the candidates is a stranger to the political process. Kelly ran for the state Senate seat representing the Valley and surrounding communities last year, but fell short after details of a drug conviction decades ago resurfaced, despite him earning endorsements from outgoing state Sen. Mike Padden and several prominent Republicans. Pockell also ran for the state Legislature in the same district last year, losing handily to incumbent Rep. Suzanne Schmidt. Smith has unsuccessfully run for the Spokane Valley City Council in 2019, 2021 and 2023, and Miller previously served two terms on a neighborhood council for the Valley Village Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles. On public safety The Spokane Valley City Council is amidst an ongoing effort to bolster the city's police services, which are provided by the Spokane County Sheriff's Office. The effort is inspired by the findings of an outside consultant tasked with analyzing the Spokane Valley Police Department and the city's law enforcement needs, with the final report calling for an additional two dozen deputies to be added to the force. The current council has made meeting the recommendations its No. 1 priority, and has approved, funded and filled 10 new positions. The board also placed a 0.1% sales tax measure on the Aug. 5 ballot, citing a need to secure funding for the remaining recommended positions. Kelly, Pockell, Miller and Smith largely agree that public safety should be the council's priority, and that the citizens of Spokane Valley should be given the power to decide whether they'd be willing to fund additional positions. Kelly said his concern as the effort moves forward is the bottom line. He said he understands it will be a tough budgeting year for local governments across the state, with many more to come as tax proceeds have stagnated, the state is facing budget cuts and federal assistance is becoming hard to come by. He also understands the concerns of some Valley residents who believe the city should be finding funding elsewhere in the budget. Kelly said he's interested in examining some of the indirect costs of the city's public safety contracts in the region to see where some money could be saved and efforts streamlined. "Someone who's more analytical and pays attention to detail, like myself, and who works with numbers, I mean, that's just the kind of thing that I would love to be able to tackle," Kelly said. Pockell also noted the tight budgeting years forecast to come. He said while there are other options available to the council, the sales tax will be the most impactful and ensure residents can continue to rely on other city services that could be on the chopping block to secure public safety funding if the measure fails. Pockell's supportive of co-responder programs that pair mental health officials with deputies and hopes the program grows . He views it as a cost-effective way for the city to manage policing resources, saying that the majority of mental health crisis calls are tied to a small percentage of city residents and that a co-responder can free up deputies for other calls when a police presence may not be necessary. "They have regulars that are constantly showing up so that co-response team will actually reach out to some of those people before it becomes a problem, and say, 'Hey, do you need anything? Are you able to access your medication?' " Pockell said. "All of these things before something happens and they need to respond." As an attorney, Miller said she has a unique perspective and a vested interest in public safety. She practiced primarily in the civil realm with expertise in administrative law, but also served as an arbitrator with the Securities and Exchange Commission's Finance Industry Regulatory Authority and the National Commodities Futures Trading Association. Miller said she's encouraged by the bolstering efforts, including remodeling the precinct's building, but believes there should be more funding and training to prepare deputies for the future. "Cybercrime has changed," Miller said. "It used to be impersonations, identity theft, online fraud. Now it's attacks on operating systems, it's attacks on energy, it's attacks on water. That is going to be causing crime in the streets, and our law enforcement in Spokane Valley needs the tools and the training to deal with the fallout." Smith spent nine years as a firefighter with Spokane County Fire District 4, two with Spokane County Fire District 10 and is a Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission certified defensive tactics instructor for law enforcement. He said that lived experience will be a resource for the council. Although he "doesn't want to see any increase in taxes," he said he prefers the sales tax model to a property tax since Valley residents will not bear the sole burden . Visitors from throughout the region will contribute. "Public safety has got to be the No. 1 priority in a town," Smith said. "There's people who want to live safely, they want their children to grow up in a safe place, and that's not something that we can skimp on." On housing and economic development The candidates all have experience owning and operating a business, and have a broad range of ideas on how to help other businesspeople. . In addition to operating her own administrative hearing officer firm, Miller formerly held leadership roles on the Los Angeles County Small Business Commission, the small firm section for the California State Bar and the small firm section for the Los Angeles region. Miller is a steadfast advocate for small businesses, she said, and would like to examine how to streamline the process and lighten the administrative burdens of standing one up. She wants to pursue an app that would help visitors and residents alike get to know the shops, restaurants and activities available in Spokane Valley. Miller is a member of the Spokane Valley Homeless Housing Task Force and recently used her expertise to develop a contracting matrix for the city to follow when examining and awarding related service contracts. Spokane Valley is predominantly a contract city, meaning it does not have as many in-house employees and departments that most others do, so she expects the matrix to be transferable to other city business and result in cost savings for the city and taxpayers. "This is an example of how I work: I don't talk about buzzwords and I don't use dog whistles, I'm about substance and I'm about work," Miller said. "I saw a need, I saw that we perhaps wanted to go deeper into public contracting options, so instead of saying someone needs to do this, I just did it." Kelly sits on one of the council's citizen boards, serving on the city's planning commission since March 2024. He said there is a pressure to increase housing density and rely on public transit coming from outside the city's borders that does not match the desires of Spokane Valley residents. He would like to do his part to ensure the Valley maintains its character, which Kelly described as a "great mix" of industrial, agricultural and residential. "I see them trying to cajole us into density and to, like I said, rely on public transportation, which aren't necessarily bad things, but I think we need to be in control of what that looks like and also the cost involved," Kelly said. "We have to be able to go at our own pace in order to make sure that that's what we need and what we can afford." In addition to operating Smash Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, which has training centers in Spokane Valley, Deer Park and Airway Heights, Smith also organizes tournaments and matchups through a nonprofit. He believes the Valley is missing out on opportunities to drive more economic activity to local businesses, and would like to bring more community events to the city. Smith pointed to the northeast corner of Valley Mission Park on East Mission Avenue as a possible location for an amphitheater to host festivals, live concerts and more. As for housing, he said supports streamlining the permitting process and working with the county to rezone areas to encourage more housing construction. "I think there's smart ways to look at areas where we can change the zoning, multifamily, residential, mixed zonings, so that we can increase housing," Smith said. "In order to get housing prices down, we've got to get, obviously, more houses out there." Pockell said the city has done a good job at promoting itself as a business-friendly environment and also in managing the growth that's come along with it. He would like to steward the city through the growth still to come, with a focus on increasing affordable housing stock, preventing urban sprawl and helping the relatively young city build an identity. Pockell is also interested in the city's infrastructure. He'd be interested in taking a leadership role in managing the system, advocating for state or federal funding and identifying projects that will directly improve the quality of life for Valley businesses and residents. "I really do think it's a special place, and I want to maintain what we have," Pockell said. On navigating council relations Despite the flurry of activity encompassing public works improvements, public safety and the rest of city business, dysfunction between sitting members has been the overriding theme of Spokane Valley City Council meetings for more than a 1 1/2 years. The tension has consistently led back to Councilman Al Merkel since he was sworn into office in January 2024, either in arguments he picks himself or is dragged into by his peers or members of the public who disagree with his approach, ideas and behavior. A pair of workplace investigations conducted by third-party attorneys found he harassed city staff and violated city policy and state law regarding public records. The council moved to sue Merkel over the latter earlier this year, saying he is not complying with state or city standards. The candidates all expressed confidence in being able to navigate the personalities and disagreements on council, if elected. Smith went as far as to name easing the tension as one of his main motivations for running, and a top priority once on the council. He said his experience working with a broad range of students, leading classes and negotiating with local groups for his events will prove useful in that effort. "When I looked at the people that were running for the position, and I look at the current city council now, I don't feel like anyone running for this position would help mend the problem that they have currently, which is a big communication problem," Smith said. "They're not cohesive, and that's very detrimental to any form of leadership." Pockell began attending city council meetings regularly last year, and has met with the current iteration of the council in one-on-one meetings to get up to speed on the city's pressing issues and to begin building relationships early. He said he believes strongly in the value of having different voices in the council, but is an avid believer of civil reciprocity. "People want to see their leaders working together more than, you know, the fighting," Pockell said. "I'm the type of person that I'm willing and happy to work with everybody, and I think that one of the best parts of our system of government, both at a local level and nationally, is that it incorporates different viewpoints. I think that's really critical to finding the best path forward." Miller said navigating conflict is right in her wheelhouse as an arbitrator, and that her history of leadership and experience in administrative law could help set the proper tone at Tuesday meetings. She said overseeing a hearing is not unlike running or participating in a council meeting: One must ensure everyone is heard, respectful and doing their homework on the issues. "If you don't, business does not get done, business does not get accomplished," Miller said. "I have a lot of experience leading processes that are adversarial, and I lead them by being a respectful listener; by being truly unbiased and open-minded; by honestly, sincerely considering all points of view and consuming vast quantities of data and other information." Kelly said disagreements will happen on the board, but it's important not to "get into petty differences." He noted the tensions go beyond just the council, as some members of the public have been vocal critics in recent years over what they feel is a lack of transparency from the council and administrators regarding city business. He'd like to assuage some of those concerns by establishing a policy of providing a brief overview of agenda items as they come up at the meetings. "I think some of that comes from the fact that, if you go to a council meeting, and I know this is an experience that I've had, you can sit down and they'll start talking about things, and you can tell that they've already had discussions," Kelly said. " "As the public, you're like, 'OK, what are we talking about? Why are we talking about this? What is our objective? Where does this come from?'" While the agendas for the meetings include some of that background checks information, Kelly said most folks do not have the time or knowledge to find and peruse the packets. "It makes it difficult for the for the public to know, and so they fill in the gaps," Kelly said. "And usually, it's in a way that leaves them with a bad taste in their mouth about it." Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NervGen Announces Leadership Transition to Support Strategic Growth and Expansion
Chairman Dr. Adam Rogers Appointed Interim CEO Following Landmark Positive Chronic Spinal Cord Injury Trial Results Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - July 17, 2025) - NervGen Pharma Corp. (TSXV: NGEN) (OTCQB: NGENF) (the "Company"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing innovative therapies for spinal cord injury (SCI) and other nervous system disorders, today announced a leadership transition as the Company enters the next phase of development for its first and potential best-in-class candidate, NVG-291. President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Kelly has stepped down as a director and officer of the Company and Dr. Adam Rogers, Chair of the Board and representative of NervGen's largest shareholder, has been appointed Interim CEO. "We are deeply grateful to Mike for his exceptional leadership during a pivotal time for NervGen," said Dr. Adam Rogers, Chairman and Interim CEO of NervGen. "Under Mike's guidance, the Company advanced NVG-291 through landmark proof-of-concept topline results from the chronic cohort of the CONNECT SCI study. Mike's leadership established the organizational framework needed for future growth and set a clear strategic direction to position NervGen one step closer to addressing its mission of transforming the lives of individuals living with spinal cord injury." "The chronic cohort of the CONNECT SCI study represents the strongest signal of efficacy observed to date in spinal cord injury," Dr. Rogers added. "We are entering the most exciting and important phase in NervGen's history and are committed to proactively engaging with regulators and the SCI community to advance NVG-291 toward its full potential." Regarding his departure, Mr. Kelly commented, "It's been an honor to lead NervGen during a pivotal time of clinical and operational growth. I'm proud of the team we've built and the opportunity to successfully advance NVG-291 through an unprecedented proof-of-concept efficacy trial in chronic spinal cord injury. With positive data in hand, NervGen is well-positioned for future growth. I remain a strong advocate of the Company and its mission to redefine the standard of care in spinal cord injury." The leadership transition comes as NervGen continues to analyze data from the chronic cohort of the CONNECT SCI study in preparation for sharing additional insights and engaging in regulatory discussions. About NVG-291NervGen holds exclusive worldwide rights to NVG-291, a first- and potential best-in-class therapeutic peptide targeting nervous system repair. NVG-291's technology is licensed from Case Western Reserve University and is based on academic studies that demonstrated the preclinical efficacy of NVG-291-R, the rodent variant of NVG-291, in animal models of spinal cord injury. These studies implicated multiple potential molecular and cellular mechanisms by which NVG-291-R promotes neurorepair and functional improvement in both central and peripheral nervous system injury models. The implicated mechanisms include the promotion of neuronal sprouting, or plasticity, remyelination, and promotion of a non-inflammatory phenotype in the microglial cells. NervGen has received Fast Track designation from the FDA and Orphan Designation from the EMA for NVG-291 in individuals with spinal cord injury. About NervGenNervGen (TSXV: NGEN) (OTCQB: NGENF) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing innovative therapies to promote nervous system repair in settings of neurotrauma and neurologic disease. The Company is testing the clinical efficacy of its lead candidate, NVG-291, in the Phase 1b/2a CONNECT SCI Study clinical trial in spinal cord injury. Topline data from the chronic cohort (1-10 years post-injury) of this trial showed that NVG-291 met its primary endpoint and demonstrated strong trends in functional assessments. Continued analysis of data from the chronic cohort is ongoing. Enrollment in the subacute cohort (20-90 days post-injury) of the trial continues, and more information about participation in the subacute study is available at In addition, the company has initiated preclinical testing of concept evaluation of its pipeline candidate, NVG-300, in models of ischemic stroke and spinal cord injury. For more information about NervGen, visit and follow NervGen on X and LinkedIn for the latest news on the company. ContactsHuitt Tracey, Investor Relations htracey@ Bill Adams, Chief Financial Officer info@ Christy CurranSam Brown Healthcare Communications christycurran@ Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements herein include but are not limited to, the Company's current and future plans, expectations and intentions, results, levels of activity, performance, goals or achievements, or any other future events or developments constitute forward-looking statements, and the words "may", "will", "would", "should", "could", "expect", "plan", "intend", "trend", "indication", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "predict", "likely" or "potential", or the negative or other variations of these words or other comparable words or phrases, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements relating to: the Company's potential best-in-class candidate, NVG-291; the future growth of the Company; the Company's mission of transforming the lives of individuals living with spinal cord injury; the objectives, planned clinical endpoints, timing, expected rate of enrollment, and study design of our Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of NVG-291 in individuals with spinal cord injury; the future development plans and benefits of NVG-291; the development plans and prospective target indications for NVG-300; and the creation of neuroreparative therapeutics to promote nervous system repair in settings of neurotrauma and neurologic disease. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by the company in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. In making forward-looking statements, we have relied on various assumptions, including, but not limited to: our ability to obtain future funding on favorable terms or at all; the accuracy of our financial projections; obtaining positive results in our clinical and other trials; our ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals; our ability to arrange for the manufacturing of our product candidates and technologies; and general business, market and economic conditions. Many factors could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements or future events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including without limitation, a lack of revenue, insufficient funding, reliance upon key personnel, the uncertainty of the clinical development process, competition, and other factors set forth in the "Risk Factors" section of the company's most recently filed prospectus supplement, short form base shelf prospectus, annual information form, financial statements and management discussion and analysis all of which can be found on NervGen's profile on SEDAR+ at All clinical development plans are subject to additional funding. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements made in this news release. Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and we have no intention and undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit Sign in to access your portfolio
Miami Herald
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Pa. Rep. Mike Kelly ‘still has questions' year after Trump assassination attempt in Butler
WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly says lawmakers and federal agencies still don't have a complete picture of what allowed a gunman to nearly assassinate Donald Trump at a rally in the congressman's hometown of Butler last year. "Like many in the Butler community, I still have questions about everything that led up to, and unfolded on, July 13," Kelly told the Post-Gazette in a statement Thursday. "May we continue to pursue the truth to get the American people the answers they deserve." The Republican congressman, who co-chaired a bipartisan task force investigating the attempted assassination, said Congress had taken significant steps to dig in to the attack. He said he and his colleagues continue to work with Secret Service Director Sean Curran and the agency to implement nearly 40 task force recommendations to bolster security and modernize protection efforts. The task force's investigation officially wrapped up in December. But lawmakers and multiple agencies are still probing the issue to help prevent future attacks. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General still lists as ongoing its inquiry into the Secret Service's preparedness and processes for protecting Trump. The FBI has led the ongoing attempted assassination and domestic terrorism investigation into the 20-year-old Bethel Park gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, working with the Justice Department, Secret Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The FBI's Pittsburgh field office told the Post-Gazette this past week it had nothing to add to previous statements on its investigation. Reps. Cory Mills, R-Fla., and Eli Crane, R-Ariz., who were not tapped for the task force, held a forum last year along with other GOP lawmakers and interviewed security experts to dig into the shooting as well as the government's preparations and response. Crane said on X Wednesday that, "There are still a lot of unanswered questions." An independent review panel, ordered by then-President Joe Biden and working with DHS, completed an inquiry between August and October. The panel conducted almost five dozen interviews with federal, state and local personnel, traveled to Butler to conduct detailed site surveys, and collected more than 7,000 documents. Like the task force, the panel found severe failures in planning, training, communication and more, suggesting "deep flaws in the Secret Service," according to its final report in October. U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, released on Saturday a Government Accountability Office report finding "the Secret Service had no process to share classified threat information with partners when the information was not considered an imminent threat." GAO's investigation, which Grassley requested last summer, also exposed "a litany of (Secret Service) procedural and planning errors, including misallocation of resources, lack of training and pervasive communication failures, all of which contributed to an unsecure environment" at the Butler rally, according to the senator's office. Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., who co-chaired the task force alongside Kelly, told the Post-Gazette on Thursday that protecting the country's leaders "goes beyond partisan politics." "Right now, we are witnessing a tragic rise in political violence across the country," he said. "Last year, President Trump was targeted; this year, a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband were assassinated. I'll continue conducting oversight to ensure this administration implements the task force's recommendations so that our leaders are protected." Secret Service changes The Secret Service has introduced a new fleet of military-grade drones and mobile command posts that allow agents to communicate via radio directly with local police, Matt Quinn, the agency's deputy director, told CBS News on Wednesday. That type of system didn't exist at the Butler rally, and communication failures and coordination among federal, state and local agencies were a major target of the task force and other investigators. Quinn told CBS that his agency was "totally accountable" for what happened at the Butler Farm Show grounds that day, and he provided details of previously announced disciplinary action against agents involved with the rally. Six U.S. Secret Service members were suspended without pay or benefits in the aftermath. The penalties ranged from 10 to 42 days of leave, and when the suspended employees returned to work, they were given restricted roles with less operational responsibility, Quinn said. "We aren't going to fire our way out of this," he told CBS. "We're going to focus on the root cause and fix the deficiencies that put us in that situation." Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Post-Gazette Thursday that, "We have been working with all the oversight entities including U.S. Senate, Government Accountability Office, Inspector General ... on all of the reports." Before the task force released its final report in December, the Secret Service said it had provided more than 1,500 pages of documents and made personnel available for interviews in response to requests from Congress. "Our desire to learn from this failure and ensure it never happens again is unwavering," Guglielmi said in September. Thousands of interviews The task force wound up reviewing more than 20,000 pages of records linked to the Butler shooting and another foiled assassination attempt at a Trump golf course in Florida in September. While the task force's report said the agency provided significant cooperation, lawmakers said Department of Homeland Security policies "restricted certain important documents to in-camera review, and the overclassification of documents hindered the task force's investigation." While Kelly didn't fully detail what remaining questions he has, he and Crow previously said the Department of Justice withheld information related to ongoing investigations, specifically regarding the actions and motives of Crooks and Ryan Routh, the would-be assassin in Florida. The FBI countered that assertion. The agency told the Post-Gazette in December that it shared "documentation of more than 80 interviews with members of the (Secret Service) and other law enforcement agencies who responded on July 13; 17 detailed and technical laboratory reports analyzing the bullets, IEDs, Crooks' drone, DNA and other evidence; classified intelligence documents; records of communications with the (Secret Service) prior to the rally; photos of evidence; verified timeline based on evidence; dispatch log of 911 call from Crooks' parents; autopsy evidence documents; and other documents." Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of FBI Pittsburgh, told reporters last summer that the agency had conducted "nearly 1,000 interviews, served numerous search warrants, issued dozens of subpoenas, and analyzed hundreds of hours of video footage." Crooks in the month leading up to the attack searched former President Joe Biden and Trump online more than 60 times, and on July 5 looked up the dates of the Democratic and Republican national conventions. A day later, he registered to attend the Butler rally and searched for "how far was Oswald from Kennedy," and for details and photos of the grounds. One bullet struck and injured Trump, while former firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed and two attendees were also shot but survived. Trump's closest advisers, including eventual White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, didn't know the president's condition when he was rushed out of the rally, according to excerpts from "2024: How Trump Retook the White House and the Democrats Lost America," obtained by the Post-Gazette this past week. Only when Trump, then the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, later began cracking jokes in his hospital bed did his aides realize he was OK, according to authors Josh Dawsey of the Wall Street Journal, Tyler Pager of the New York Times and Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post. "They thought I had four or five bullets in me because there was so much blood," said Trump. He had also refused to take a stretcher into the hospital because "he didn't want the visual," the authors wrote. Drones and tightened security The book highlights increased threats of political violence and additional security measures that the Trump campaign had to grapple with in the wake of the assassination attempts - including ongoing threats from Iran. Trump, for one, complained that his Secret Service detail made it harder for him to cheat at golf, the authors wrote. Meanwhile, the campaign and Secret Service grew increasingly concerned about drones, including in Pennsylvania and California. In September, en route to a farmers' event that required taking country roads southeast of Pittsburgh, Wiles received a call from the Secret Service notifying her there was "an unknown drone overhead, and they couldn't shake it," according to the book. "They might have to split Trump from the rest of the motorcade," the authors wrote. "Wiles thought to herself, 'This is it.' The drone followed them for almost the entire drive but never did anything." Kelly and several lawmakers, and the task force, have suggested the undermanned Secret Service should consider separating from DHS either as an independent agency or move back under the U.S. Treasury Department, where it was formed. The task force noted the Secret Service may be overburdened. The U.N. General Assembly relies on the agency to protect foreign dignitaries - a job that could potentially "be transferred or abrogated in order to focus on the (agency's) primary duty: to protect the president and other critical U.S. leaders." Reps. Ritchie Torres, a Democrat, and Mike Lawler, a Republican, both of New York, introduced legislation in August that would shift the Secret Service's financial crimes investigations to Treasury, and force the agency to stick solely to protecting the president and other officials. Kelly called on Americans reflecting "on the tragic events that unfolded in Butler" to pray for the Comperatore family, the injured rallygoers David Dutch and James Copenhaver, and for Trump. "In the wake of tragedy, the Butler community remains united and stronger than ever," he said. _____ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Pa. congressman continues seeking answers to Trump assassination attempt a year later
BUTLER, Pa. — U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, who chaired a now-expired congressional task force that investigated the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump in July 2024, says he continues to push Secret Service and other federal agencies for answers about the security failures leading up to the campaign rally shooting in his hometown. The eighth-term Republican, who represents Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District, said he believes the change in leadership at numerous federal agencies, namely the Secret Service and FBI, since Trump took office in January will lead to better cooperation with members of Congress. The task force claimed in its final report that such cooperation was lacking under Biden administration appointees. "We can't quit on it because we never got the answers," Kelly said in June in an interview with the USA TODAY Network at his Butler office. "The public deserves to know what happened that day." The House voted unanimously, 416-0, on July 24 to form the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump. Over five months, Kelly, ranking member Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colorado, and task force members made multiple trips to the farm show grounds to meet with federal officials and tour the venue and the neighboring business property from where the FBI said gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks had fired the eight shots. They interviewed 46 people, mostly local law enforcement, but also U.S. Secret Service, Pennsylvania State Police and officials from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The task force had a dozen briefings with federal agencies, collected more than 20,000 pages of documents and held two public hearings. Members also visited an FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia, and Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, the site of a second assassination attempt that occurred Sept. 15, 2024. Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, of North Carolina, was charged in that attempt. The report notes that Secret Service "provided significant cooperation" with the task force when it came to turning over documents and making employees available for interviews regarding the July 13 event. "However, DHS policies restricted certain important documents to in-camera review, and the overclassification of documents hindered the Task Force's investigation," the report says. The agency would only provide a "substantially limited" briefing and a tour of the West Palm Beach site of the Sept. 15 assassination attempt. The Biden Department of Justice, FBI and ATF "provided limited cooperation." Also, the FBI would not grant the task force access to any of the individuals within the agency that it requested. The report includes a four-page list of outstanding requests made by the task force to federal agencies. Secret Service back to Treasury oversight? The task force, in its Dec. 13 report, made 37 recommendations, including moving the U.S. Secret Service back under the U.S. Treasury, where it had been until the formation of the Department of Homeland Security following 9/11. Kelly told the USA TODAY Network he's in the process of drafting legislation. The agency was formed in 1865 following the Civil War to crack down on counterfeiting. Its most well-known role of protecting U.S. presidents, their families and other government officials didn't begin until 1901, following the assassination of President William McKinley. When the service was moved under the Department of Homeland Security, it "became the redheaded stepchild," Kelly said. "If you look at the organizational chart for Homeland, you have to go all the way to the bottom to find Secret Service," he continued. "They're underfunded. Undermanned, underappreciated." Two New York lawmakers, Reps. Ritchie Torres, a Democrat, and Mike Lawler, a Republican, introduced the Focus on Protection Act in August 2024 to move the duties of investigating financial crimes back to Treasury, while giving the Secret Service the sole responsibility of protecting the president and others. The idea has been discussed for several years. Attempted assassination task force findings The final report contends that the Secret Service and other federal agencies failed in the areas of planning, execution and leadership and that those failures were not limited to the July 13 Butler rally. The report cites poor leadership and insufficient training of agents. It also notes that agents with "little to no experience in advance planning roles" were put in charge of a "higher-risk outdoor venue" with "line-of-sight issues" and were not given "specific intelligence about a long-range threat." "Further, some of the Secret Service agents in significant advance planning roles did not clearly understand the delineation of their responsibilities," the report says. Matthew Rink is a USA TODAY Network Pennsylvania investigative journalist.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Steven Michael Kelly August 15, 1946 - March 21, 2025 Mike
Jun. 28—Steven Michael Kelly August 15, 1946 — March 21, 2025 Mike Kelly was a driven and accomplished entrepreneur and businessman. He arrived in Albuquerque in 1973 and spent the next five decades growing Realty Mortgage & Investment Company and fueling the growth of our community — first as a residential mortgage broker and later originating commercial financing as a Q10 Capital affiliate. Mike and his company were recognized as leaders and top performers in the mortgage finance industry. Mike was a United States Air Force veteran who received his B.B.A. from the University of Texas and his M.B.A. from the University of New Mexico Anderson School of Management. Whether for work or play, he pursued it with a passion — his attention squarely focused on real estate and relationships. Long hours spent meticulously preparing the perfect loan submission to benefit his clients were matched by long days mastering the double black diamond runs in Durango, biking along the Bosque Trail, or casting his fly line on the San Juan with his best friend Mark Yarbrough. His relentless pursuit of excellence was an integral part of his adventurous spirit and generous personality. His relationships with family, friends, and business associates energized him each day. He easily connected with people from all walks of life and took joy in making and keeping connections by hosting and entertaining. His philanthropic spirit frequently found him supporting civic and community endeavors — including playing a pivotal role in the expansion of First Presbyterian Church, where he was a member. Mike was also a risk — taker resulting in spectacular successes and equally spectacular failures. It's a credit to his grit and resilience that he not only recovered but thrived after several significant personal and professional setbacks. His relationships could cycle through similar highs and lows but often bounced back through his sometimes inexplicable force of personality. He sought out quality and refinement in all areas of his life. He may be the only person you knew who sent his sheets out to be laundered and ironed, and we fear Whole Foods has lost one of its best customers. If there were a nicer linen, a more beautiful artwork, or a better bottle of wine, you can be certain he was going to find it and be thrilled to share it with you. Mike shared his life with three beautiful, strong, and independent women: Ida Kelly, mother to his children, whose early work and support made it possible for him to grow his business; Jane Dillon whose design expertise filled their life with beauty and elegance in their homes and experiences; and Susan Howarth Kelly who shared his love of cycling, cooking, and spoiling their furry friends. He is survived by his daughter Channing Kelly and her children Lleyton and Steinar; and his son Robert Kelly and his children Jack, Harper, and Mason. He enjoyed every moment he was able to spend with his grandchildren, and we are grateful they are all old enough to remember their time with him. Mike completed his life in his beautifully curated home in the neighborhood where he felt most comfortable. He would surely have been shocked by his death as much as we are — as he clearly believed he was invincible. We move forward remembering the best of his personality: his diligence, independence (with a side of stubbornness that's been safely passed on to the next generation), adventurousness, athleticism, and generosity. We love you, Dad. Always. For information about services, family contact information, and to share your remembrance, please visit
