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GOP
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FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the House Judiciary Committee yesterday about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump by Thomas Matthew Crooks. The FBI found and unlocked Crooks' computer and was able to report on some of the things they found there. On July 6, a week before the shooting, Crooks registered to attend the rally in Butler, PA, where he shot Trump. Also that day he did an online search for: "How far away was Oswald from Kennedy?" That clearly suggests he spent at least a week on his plan to kill Trump and was starting to work out the mechanics of doing it. However, that doesn't shed any light on why he wanted to kill Trump, since he (Crooks) was a registered Republican.
Crooks was definitely thorough. He visited the rally site on July 7, the day after he registered to attend, and then two more times later in the week. The day of the rally, he flew a drone for 11 minutes around the area 2 hours before it started. Wray thought it was for surveillance. Authorities also found two explosive devices in his car so it is also possible that Crooks had a plan to send and remotely detonate the devices near Trump. The police found the drone and its controller in Crooks' car.
Wray also said that the firearm Crooks used had a collapsible stock, making it easier to conceal. That would explain why he didn't attract much attention before he got to the roof. However, once he was up on the roof and in position to shoot, he was spotted by a local law enforcement officer. Crooks saw that he had been spotted, realized that he didn't have much time left, and opened fire almost immediately. The FBI found eight spent casings on the roof along with Crooks' body.
When asked if there were any accomplices or coconspirators, Wray said there is no indication so far of anyone else being involved.
Wray said that Crooks was a shooting hobbyist and had gone to a shooting range the day before the attempt, possibly to work on his marksmanship.
The opening statement by Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) was highly partisan, as usual for him. He said he wanted a second-by-second timeline of what happened that day. The hearing itself, which ran for 3 hours, was orderly, with House members asking serious questions and waiting for answers. (V)