Staff Reports
Days after a brazen attack on former President Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the nation remains perplexed about how such a shocking incident could have transpired. Trump, the man the Left loves to hate, found himself in the crosshairs of yet another unhinged individual, while questions linger about the level of protection provided by his supposed guardians.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old suspect with a suspicious moniker, somehow managed to secure a clear line of sight from a rooftop 400 feet away from Trump. Much to the bewilderment of the American public, authorities have offered scant explanations about how or why security measures were so porous. One can only imagine the collective head-scratching among the folks tasked with safeguarding a former commander-in-chief.
Four unanswered questions about Trump assassination attempt – Washington Examiner https://t.co/etzyWVIe76 pic.twitter.com/qo95JGkNrl
— 🇺🇸🇺🇸KATHY🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@mygammie) July 17, 2024
The incident has now placed the Secret Service under intense scrutiny, as reports suggest a civil war of finger-pointing between the federal agency and local police. A classic case of bureaucratic “passing the buck” has ensued, with no clear accountability. Meanwhile, the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office—led by the same entity that couldn’t predict a minor riot at the Capitol—claims their investigation is in the “early stage.” Despite interviewing nearly 100 witnesses and sorting through hundreds of tips, they still appear to be light-years away from the truth.
President Joe Biden, possibly trying to appear concerned from his comfortable perch, has called for an independent review of the attempted assassination. Congressional lawmakers, always eager to latch onto a media frenzy, have demanded transparency and will be holding briefings and hearings. One can only hope that these sessions will result in more than just grandstanding and political theater.
Trump himself sustained a minor injury—taking a grazing shot to the ear—while one innocent person lost their life and two others remain critically injured. The Allegheny health official has confirmed their stable condition, though the irony of anyone being “stable” in this circus is palpable. It’s the first time a president or former president has been targeted by gunfire since Ronald Reagan in 1981, adding a dramatic new chapter to America’s volatile political climate.
Several pertinent questions hang in the air, beginning with the most glaring: why wasn’t the rooftop secured? Crooks climbed onto the roof of a glass research company building, and inquisitive videos shot by attendees show him flaunting his position for nearly a minute. Bystanders could be heard hollering for police intervention, highlighting another textbook example of too little, too late.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, a 25-year veteran of the agency, gave a pretty limp excuse for not securing that particular rooftop, citing the roof’s slant as the reason. Predictably, this feeble rationale sank like a lead balloon on social media. An operation as critical as securing the President of the United States should have solutions for slanted roofs, no?
The motive behind Crooks’s actions remains another enigma. Despite gaining access to his phone and thoroughly investigating his home and vehicle, the FBI continues to draw a blank. Records indicate he was a registered Republican—with a curious $15 donation to a progressive PAC on Trump’s last day in office. Crooks’s parents admitted they had no clue about his political leanings, adding yet another twist to this convoluted tale.
Questions also loom about how Crooks maneuvered past local law enforcement stationed inside the building. Cheatle clarified that while her team handled the rally’s inner perimeter, the local cops were supposed to manage the outer area. Armed officers inside the building missed the rooftop climber, revealing a gaping security lapse.
Lastly, the burning issue of why it took so long to stop Crooks has left everyone scratching their heads. A countersniper took him out seconds after he opened fire, but why did it come to that point at all? Crooks raised suspicions well before he accessed the rooftop, with reports indicating he loitered around the metal detectors and carried a rangefinder hours before the shooting. Authorities, it seems, were more adept at losing track of him than keeping America’s most controversial president safe.
In a nutshell, the investigation is proving to be as convoluted as a government financial statement. With security gaps as wide as the Grand Canyon, it’s high time those responsible get their act together and provide some real answers. If not for the safety of Trump, then at least for the peace of mind of the American public.
