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On Monday, members of the newly formed House task force investigating the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump conducted a crucial site visit to the Butler, Pa., location where the shooting occurred. The lawmakers, including Representative Jason Crow of Colorado, who leads the investigation as the top Democrat and a former Army Ranger, examined the Butler Farm Show grounds, including the rooftop from which Thomas Crooks, 20, fired at the campaign rally.
Crow and his colleagues expressed shock over the apparent security lapses, criticizing the Secret Service for failing to secure key vantage points. “You always secure the high ground, or you have eyes on the high ground,” Crow remarked, noting the unsecured lines of sight that could have endangered Trump.
Despite the bipartisan task force’s ongoing investigation, which was approved last month by unanimous House vote, a faction of right-wing lawmakers has launched their own concurrent probe. Representative Eli Crane, Republican of Arizona, and Representative Cory Mills, Republican of Florida, who are both military-trained snipers, are leading this alternative inquiry. They have voiced distrust in the federal investigation’s credibility, with Crane suggesting it may be politically motivated and could involve a cover-up.
Crane, in a recent appearance on the War Room Podcast, criticized the exclusion of himself and Mills from the official task force, labeling it as a political maneuver. He further claimed that the federal investigation might be biased and that his team would be conducting their own hearings.
The Secret Service has acknowledged its security failures in the wake of the July 13 shooting, resulting in five agents being reassigned and the resignation of then-Director Kimberly A. Cheatle. Despite these admissions, Crane and Mills have promoted unfounded theories, alleging possible coordinated attacks by Democrats or shadowy government figures to thwart Trump’s re-election campaign.
Task force members, including Representative Mike Waltz, Republican of Florida, have also questioned whether Crooks acted alone, though no evidence of additional conspirators has emerged. Representative Jared Moskowitz, Democrat of Florida, confirmed that the task force had found no substantial evidence suggesting a co-conspirator.
During their visit, the task force interviewed local law enforcement and sent requests for documents and interviews to the Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, Justice Department, and FBI. Chairman Mike Kelly, Republican of Pennsylvania, emphasized the importance of being on-site, stating that physical presence at the location provides invaluable insight.
The group has also received briefings from the FBI and Secret Service and is conducting interviews with state and local officials involved in the shooting’s security. Moskowitz expressed heightened concern over the Secret Service’s handling of the situation, reflecting on how close the incident came to a major tragedy.
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