The U.S. Secret Service-involved shooting of a man with a shotgun inside the secure perimeter of Mar-a-Lago over the weekend brought the Department of Homeland Security’s partial shutdown into new focus.
Two USSS agents and a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputy confronted and later shot and killed Austin Martin, 21, who authorities said slipped through a vehicular exit gate that had opened for a car before brandishing his weapon.
“They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him – at which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position… the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat,” according to Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.
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Those agents are among the many working their dangerous jobs without pay due to the ongoing partial shutdown of DHS, which Republicans say was brought on by Democrats’ demands that I.C.E., which remains funded through other means, be reformed.
Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., who represents Daytona Beach just up the coast from Mar-a-Lago, said the incident proves the bravery of the Secret Service no matter the circumstances.
“The attempted assassination of President Trump at Mar-a-Lago is a stark reminder of growing leftist political violence in our country,” Fine said in a statement.
“Grateful to the Secret Service who neutralized the terrorist. Even as Democrats refuse to pay them because of their shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, these men and women continue to stand their post.”
Top White House aide Stephen Miller offered an even more pointed response to the dynamic:
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“Democrats voted to defund Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations (who partner with Secret Service) and all the intelligence and law enforcement functions that support Secret Service,” Miller said.
“Never before in history has federal law enforcement been purposefully defunded.”
House Small Business Committee chairman Roger Williams of Texas added that Americans should take note of the agents who responded whether paid or not.
“As we continue to learn more about the armed man at Mar-a-Lago this morning, we must remember that the brave agents who responded are serving our country without pay due to the Democrat-led shutdown,” Williams, R-Texas, said.
Prior to the incident, Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., warned that the Secret Service and other agencies like FEMA would be put in a bad spot if the partial shutdown went forward.
“Democrats are prioritizing illegal immigrant criminals ahead of the safety of the American people,” he said in a February 12 floor speech.
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At least one Democrat did react to the agent-involved shooting.
Rep. Lois Frankel of Florida, for whom Trump is technically a constituent at his Mar-a-Lago address, said that “political violence is never the answer.”
“Thank you to the Secret Service and Palm Beach County law enforcement for their swift response today and for their continued work in keeping the president safe,” Frankel said.
The Northeast blizzard presents separate challenges for resource-suspended agencies like FEMA, while certain Homeland Security-run services, such as TSA escorts for members of Congress, are also suspended.
Fox News’ Elise Oggioni contributed to this report.
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