Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) said a whistleblower claimed local law enforcement offered the Secret Service drones to utilize at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
However, the agency reportedly declined the offer.
“Whistleblower tells me local law enforcement partners & suppliers offered drones to Secret Service BEFORE the rally – but Secret Service declined,” Hawley wrote.
“According to reports, the shooter used a drone to survey the site in preparation for his attack. This was confirmed by FBI Director Christopher Wray in his testimony just yesterday. In fact, he confirmed that the shooter was operating the drone approximately two hours before President Trump took the stage in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Hawley said in the letter.
“According to one whistleblower, the night before the rally, U.S. Secret Service repeatedly denied offers from a local law enforcement partner to utilize drone technology to secure the rally. This means that the technology was both available to USSS and able to be deployed to secure the site. Secret Service said no. The whistleblower further alleges that after the shooting took place, USSS changed course and asked the local partner to deploy the drone technology to surveil the site in the aftermath of the attack,” he continued.
NEW – Whistleblower tells me local law enforcement partners & suppliers offered drones to Secret Service BEFORE the rally – but Secret Service declined pic.twitter.com/UM0jfrMc9z
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 25, 2024
A closer look:
SHOCK REPORT: Whistleblower reveals The Secret Service declined “local law enforcement partners & suppliers” offers of drones BEFORE the rally where Trump was almost ass*ssinated..
PAYING ATTENTION NOW.. pic.twitter.com/UAjxnQQqzn
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) July 25, 2024
In his testimony, Christopher Wray told lawmakers Thomas Crooks flew a drone near the site of the rally approximately two hours before he opened fire.
WATCH:
Ahead of the assassination attempt, Crooks was flying a drone over the rally site for 11 MINUTES.
Crooks was using encrypted messaging apps
He was in possession of THREE explosive devices with remote detonators… pic.twitter.com/gZzO9fQdoJ
— ELECTION2024
(@24ELECTIONS) July 24, 2024
Per CBS News:
The FBI chief also said agents recovered a total of three “relatively crude” explosive devices: two from Crooks’ vehicle and one from his residence. Crooks had a transmitter that would have allowed him to detonate the devices in his car remotely, but the receivers on the bombs were turned off, Wray said.
Eight cartridges from spent bullets were found on the roof where Crooks opened fire, Wray confirmed. The gunman killed one attendee and wounded Trump and two others.
Investigators have managed to gain access to Crooks’ phone, which Wray said was a “significant technical challenge.” He said agents discovered Crooks was using encrypted messaging apps to communicate.
The FBI, which is investigating the shooting as a potential act of domestic terrorism, does not yet have “a clear picture” of the gunman’s motive, Wray said. But investigators did find that Crooks seemed to become “very focused on” Trump and the rally on July 6. An examination of his laptop revealed that he searched “how far away was Oswald from Kennedy?” on that day, when he also registered to attend the rally.
“Another day, another closed-door FBI briefing on the Trump shooting. These briefings should be PUBLIC. The American people deserve to know the facts. I’m introducing legislation today to declassify ALL government documents on the rally shooting,” Hawley said Thursday.
Another day, another closed-door FBI briefing on the Trump shooting. These briefings should be PUBLIC. The American people deserve to know the facts. I’m introducing legislation today to declassify ALL government documents on the rally shooting
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 25, 2024
“Hawley introduces ‘Trump Assassination Attempt Transparency Act’ to declassify key information,” Hawley stated.
Hawley introduces ‘Trump Assassination Attempt Transparency Act’ to declassify key information https://t.co/VQ5RZGRQSS
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 25, 2024
Fox News reports:
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., will introduce the “Trump Assassination Attempt Transparency Act” on Thursday, just a day after FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the House Judiciary Committee about the Trump rally shooting and investigation into gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks.
“We need the truth about the assassination attempt against President Trump,” Hawley told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We can’t let the federal government hide behind the ‘classified’ label.”
The bill would require the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI and the Secretary of Homeland Security to declassify any critical information about the assassination attempt and the motive of the shooter as well as Trump’s repeated requests for resources. The legislation, if passed, would also require intelligence agencies to produce a report to Congress on its findings.
Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle resigned this week, a day after taking bipartisan heat during testimony before the House Oversight Committee on Monday and over a week after a would-be assassin Thomas Crooks attempted to take the life of Trump at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13.
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