Sparse attendance at Secret Service hearing

Only 19 lawmakers showed up to Tuesday’s House Oversight Committee hearing on the Secret Service, including two who are not on the 40-member panel.

Nine Democratic and eight Republican members of the committee returned to Washington for the hearing, two weeks into the lengthy congressional recess lasting until Nov. 12. That means less than half of the committee’s membership was in attendance.

{mosads}Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) and Billy Long (R-Mo.), who are not members of the panel, were also allowed to participate and question Secret Service Director Julia Pierson.

The nine committee Democrats included ranking member Elijah Cummings (Md.), Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.)., John Tierney (Mass.), Stephen Lynch (Mass.), Gerry Connolly (Va.), Matt Cartwright (Pa.), Tammy Duckworth (Ill.), Steven Horsford (Nev.) and Michelle Lujan Grisham (N.M.).

Meanwhile, eight committee Republican were in attendance: Chairman Darrell Issa (Calif.), Jason Chaffetz (Utah), Trey Gowdy (S.C.), Doug Collins (Ga.), Kerry Bentivolio (Mich.), Mark Meadows (N.C.) and Ron DeSantis (Fla.). Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) joined the hearing as well, after it had started.

Most members are still back in their districts campaigning with just over a month until the midterm elections on Nov. 4.

Tierney is the only lawmaker who came to the Oversight hearing who is not running for reelection. He lost his Democratic primary earlier this year.

Cummings, Connolly and Norton each represent areas less than an hour from Washington.