White House weighs in on Secret Service, IRS, gun reform

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that the upcoming retirement of the director of the Secret Service is not related to testimony that has surfaced at the recent hearing of the House select committee probing the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified that former President Donald Trump wanted to accompany protesters to the U.S. Capitol as they marched to the U.S. Capitol, but was denied by his Secret Service detail.

Jean-Pierre said James Murray, the agency's director, is joining the private sector, adding that there's "no connection" between his retirement and the hearings on Jan. 6 that continue to unfold on Capitol Hill.

Jean-Pierre also declined to comment on whether President Joe Biden has confidence in IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig following news reports that the IRS conducted intensive tax audits on two targets of Donald Trump's ire, ex-FBI Director James Comey and former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

IRS spokesperson Jodie Reynolds said Thursday the agency has officially referred the matter to the inspector general for tax administration after Rettig, who was nominated to the job by Trump and is a close ally of the former president, personally reached out.

Jean-Pierre sidestepped questions about Biden's reaction to the audits, pointing to the fact that Rettig's term will conclude in November.

In another matter, Jean-Pierre said that in the aftermath of the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park, Biden will keep pushing for more gun safety legislation and favors a ban on assault weapons.

Image: AP