VIP Trump Rally Guest Captures Terrifying Moments During Assassination Attempt

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A special guest invited by former President Donald Trump’s team to his Pennsylvania rally provided the Daily Caller News Foundation videos he took as gunfire erupted in a failed assassination attempt against the GOP’s presumptive nominee.

Benjamin Shrader, who is an event coordinator and CEO of Shrader Promotions LLC, was invited Thursday to Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Shrader provided videos to the DCNF that document the moments when a rally attendee was hit as several rounds were being fired at the crowd.

Shrader said he was given the opportunity to meet with Trump after arriving at the event, snagging a picture with the Republican presidential nominee, noting his “very nice” and happy demeanor, before taking his seat within the VIP section located to the left of the stage. Shots began to ring out round 6:11 p.m. EDT as Trump was addressing those in attendance.

“I was sitting next to, I believe, [the] third row back. So next to the bleachers, but very close to the president. So he gets up, everybody’s cheering, you know, everybody’s talking. He pulls up a chart and then I then I hear it was — and what strikes me is it was quiet. I hear pop, pop, pop, pop and like the sound of darts almost. Or like a cartoon sound, it was very odd,” Shrader told the DCNF.

“So I duck and then I turn and I look behind me. Take in mind most people during this are saying, ‘Oh my god, they let somebody sneak fireworks in.’ People are not freaking out yet. But I turned around and maybe like three to five meters behind me I could not tell if it was a man or a woman, but there was someone with a massive amount of blood and it was spilling,” Shrader continued. “I’ve never seen somebody get shot before, but yeah, it was bad.”

(Read more from “VIP Trump Rally Guest Captures Terrifying Moments During Assassination Attempt” HERE)

Aide to Dem Megadonor Reportedly Suggested Trump Rally Shooting Might Have Been ‘Staged’

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A top adviser to Democratic megadonor Reid Hoffman appeared to suggest in an email to various media outlets that the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump may have been “staged,” Semafor reported Sunday.

Dmitri Mehlhorn sent an email to a group of “sympathetic” journalists at 7:34 p.m. on Saturday encouraging them to consider the possibility that the shooting had been “staged” for the benefit of Trump, Semafor reported. Hoffman has donated millions to pro-Democrat political committees, funded lawsuits against conservatives and joked about killing the former president the day before the failed assassination attempt.

One “possibility — which feels horrific and alien and absurd in America, but is quite common globally — is that this ‘shooting’ was encouraged and maybe even staged so Trump could get the photos and benefit from the backlash,” Mehlhorn reportedly wrote to members of the press, according to Semafor. “This is a classic Russian tactic, such as when Putin killed 300 civilians in 1999 and blamed it on terrorists to ride the backlash to winning power.”

Mehlhorn, who Politico described as Hoffman’s “right hand man,” co-founded a fund called “Investing in US” with the Democratic megadonor, according to Semafor.

“I know I am prone to bias on this, but this is a classic Putin play and given the facts seems more plausible,” Mehlhorn continued in his email, Semafor reported. “Look at the actual shot. Look at the staging. Look at how ready Trump is to rally; this pampered baby shit his pants when an eagle lunged at his food. Look at how quickly Trump protects himself at the expense of others, but showed few of those lifelong instincts in this moment. And consider how often Putin and his allies run this play.” (Read more from “Aide to Dem Megadonor Reportedly Suggested Trump Rally Shooting Might Have Been ‘Staged’” HERE)

‘Catastrophic Failure’: Secret Service Under Scrutiny After Trump Assassination Attempt

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The Secret Service is now under scrutiny after an assassination attempt nearly succeeded on former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican 2024 presidential nominee.

The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was able to position himself on a rooftop with a direct line of sight to Trump and fire a bullet that went through his ear.

The shooter was approximately 150 yards away from where Trump was speaking.

Multiple witnesses also claimed they tried to flag the shooter to the Secret Service and police.

The shooter was so close and visible that even some rally-goers spotted the shooter and took video as he was attempting to assassinate Trump. (Read more from “‘Catastrophic Failure’: Secret Service Under Scrutiny After Trump Assassination Attempt” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

Trump Shot; Photo Captures Pic of Bullet; Secret Service Was Warned; Donald Trump’s Response; Some Claim Biden is Responsible; Shooter Identified?

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An assassination attempt occurred Saturday at an outdoor Pennsylvania rally for President Donald Trump. The shooter, positioned on a rooftop outside the venue, opened fire, resulting in a grazing injury to President Trump and the death of a rally attendee.

Here’s a remarkable image of (likely) a another bullet that almost struck President Trump:

According to the Secret Service, the shooter was “neutralized,” but according to other officials, it is unclear whether his death was self-inflicted or at the hands of law enforcement. An eyewitness, however, claims the Secret Service “blew his head off” only after President Trump was shot, and after ignoring repeated warnings that a shooter was on the roof:

Multiple sources, including the Pennsylvania Butler County District Attorney, Richard Goldinger, have confirmed this eyewitness report that the shooter was on a building adjacent to the property, using a rifle to fire from several hundred yards away from President Trump. District Attorney Goldinger also suggested that the dead shooter has yet to be identified because of a chaotic crime scene. He reported to CNN that “it’s really crazy right now.” Assuming the accuracy of the eyewitness report, the trauma to shooter’s head is likely contributing to the difficulty in identifying him (see the update below on the shooter’s alleged identity).

Here’s a video of the apparent shooter firing on Trump:

Here is another video from a rally-goer showing the apparent body of the shooter on the roof of a metal building:

Another rally-goer took a video of Trump supporters yelling, “He’s got a gun, he’s got a gun!!!” before shots rang out. You may access that video on X HERE.

Here’s a video of the Secret Service attempting to engage the shooter:

President Joe Biden, briefed by key security officials, supposedly expressed relief at Trump’s safety. International leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, extended their support and prayers.

In response to the shooting, the New York City Police Department heightened security at Trump Tower and other significant locations. Given Biden’s apparent dementia, Vice President Kamala Harris, returning from a campaign stop, was also briefed on the incident.

The Biden campaign has halted its largely ineffectual TV ads following the shooting, and condemned the violence.

Former President George W. Bush called the attack a “cowardly” act, but went on to commend the Secret Service despite the agency’s obvious failure in keeping President Trump safe. Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent, called the agency’s conduct at the rally “an abysmal failure.”

Senator JD Vance, a leading contender for President Trump’s Vice President, places the blame for today’s events squarely on Biden:

Here’s Donald Trump’s statement on the assassination attempt, texted to supporters at 9:45 EST, this evening:

I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.

It is incredible that such an act can take place in our Country. Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead.

I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.

I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.

Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Donald J. Trump
45th President of the United States

______________________________________________________________________

Authorities Claim Shooter was 20-Year Old Pennsylvanian

By Social Links forJoe Marino and Katherine Donlevy. The gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump Saturday was identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, sources told The Post.

Crooks, of Bethel Park, Pa., squeezed off shots — one of which grazed Trump in the ear — at an outdoor rally in Butler, just outside Pittsburgh.

Sources said Crooks was planted on a roof of a manufacturing plant more than 130 yards away from the stage at Butler Farm Show grounds.

He was killed by Secret Service snipers. An AR-style rifle was later recovered. Read more from this story about Trump shot HERE.

And from CNN:

Crooks was registered to vote as a Republican, according to a listing in Pennsylvania’s voter database that matched his name, age, and a Bethel Park address that law enforcement was searching Saturday night and is linked to Crooks in public records. This year’s presidential election would have been the first he was old enough to vote in.

Federal Election Commission records show that a donor listed as Thomas Crooks with the same address gave $15 to a Democratic-aligned political action committee called the Progressive Turnout Project in January 2021.

When reached by CNN late Saturday night, Crooks’ father, Matthew Crooks, said he was trying to figure out “what the hell is going on” but would “wait until I talk to law enforcement” before speaking about his son.

The shooting: Crooks fired on Trump while perched on a nearby building rooftop outside the rally’s security perimeter, before being killed by Secret Service agents, according to law enforcement officials.

He didn’t have any identification on his body, so agents had to “run his DNA and get biometric confirmation,” Kevin Rojek, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, said at a press conference Saturday night before Crooks was named.

Shock Congressional Report Exposes Advertising Cartel’s Role in Silencing Conservative Media

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A recent congressional report has uncovered troubling actions by a powerful advertising cartel, the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), which allegedly sought to defund news outlets and platforms. This cartel, controlling 90% of global marketing spending, urged its members to blacklist certain media outlets using a list compiled by a shadowy, government-funded group aimed at guarding against “misinformation.”

The WFA represents 150 of the world’s largest companies, such as ExxonMobil, GM, General Mills, McDonald’s, Visa, SC Johnson, and Walmart, along with 60 ad associations. The House Judiciary Committee’s interim report, released on Wednesday, reveals that the WFA’s Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative was instrumental in suppressing online free speech.

“The extent to which GARM has organized its trade association and coordinates actions that rob consumers of choices is likely illegal under the antitrust laws and threatens fundamental American freedoms,” the Republican-led panel stated in its 39-page report based on internal organizational records. “The information uncovered to date of WFA and GARM’s collusive conduct to demonetize disfavored content is alarming.”

House Republicans have previously investigated how the U.S. government bypassed free speech norms by directly pressuring platforms to censor content through the Biden White House and the Department of Homeland Security. This was often done by funding outside groups that created blacklists of outlets for advertisers to avoid. The new report’s allegations of potential antitrust violations suggest a possible course of action for the Justice Department, particularly if Donald Trump wins back the White House on Nov. 5.

The report links the WFA’s “responsible media” initiative to the taxpayer-funded Global Disinformation Index (GDI), a London-based group that, in 2022, released an ad blacklist targeting 10 news outlets with conservative or libertarian leanings, including The Post, RealClearPolitics, and Reason magazine.

Documents obtained by Congress reveal that even some GARM members doubted the validity of the GDI’s blacklist. One employee described it as “bewildering” that the GDI had labeled The Post as the “at most risk” paper in the USA for disinformation. Despite these concerns, additional documents show that the GDI’s blacklist was still promoted to WFA members as a tool to identify and suppress misinformation and disfavored outlets.

“[W]e do advise that platforms, ad-tech, agencies, use independent fact checkers to weed out mis-and-disinfo from supply chain and ad buys. GDI is one of many — NewsGuard, IFCN, etc,” wrote Rob Rakowitz, the WFA’s initiative lead for the GARM program, in response to the employee’s complaint.

Photo credit: Flickr

Report: Biden Slightly Favored in 2024 Presidential Election Despite Debate Struggles

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In a close analysis of the 2024 presidential election, FiveThirtyEight found that President Joe Biden remains slightly favored to win, despite a widely criticized debate performance. The data, based on simulations of the upcoming election, show Biden winning 50 times out of 100, while former President Donald Trump is predicted to win 49 times out of 100.

Out of 1,000 simulations, Biden came out on top in 505 instances, compared to Trump’s 491. There were four instances where no clear winner emerged, potentially throwing the decision to the House of Representatives.

“It’s 120 days until Election Day, and our model thinks the presidential election could go either way,” FiveThirtyEight stated in a July 8 update. “There is still a small chance of the pure chaos scenario: In 4 simulations, no candidate wins a majority of Electoral College votes.”

This analysis follows Biden’s problematic performance at the June 27 debate against Trump. Biden struggled with a hoarse voice, appeared to freeze, and had difficulty completing his closing statement. The debate has led to growing calls from within his party for Biden to consider stepping aside in favor of another candidate.

Notable Democratic donors, including Reed Hastings, co-founder of Netflix, have urged Biden to withdraw. George Clooney, who recently hosted a fundraiser for Biden, also penned an op-ed expressing doubt about Biden’s ability to win the election.

Photo credit: Flickr

Elon Musk Begins to Spend Vast Fortune to Elect Trump

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Tesla CEO and X/Twitter owner Elon Musk has reportedly donated to a pro-Trump Super PAC in an effort to help re-elect former President Donald Trump.

Anonymous sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Musk had donated a “sizeable amount” to America PAC.

The Super PAC has reportedly been the “biggest spender on direct voter contacts” and has spent roughly “$15.8 million so far,” according to the outlet.

America PAC is described as being a group that works “mostly behind the scenes to bolster the Trump campaign’s ground game,” according to the outlet.

(Read more from “Elon Musk Begins to Spend Vast Fortune to Elect Trump” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Groups Outraged Over Military Training Labeling Pro-Lifers as Terrorists

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A pro-life organization, Operation Rescue, has condemned a U.S. military base for permitting an employee to deliver a lesson that labeled pro-life groups as terrorists, akin to ISIS. This indoctrination session occurred at Fort Liberty in North Carolina, sparking outrage from pro-life advocates.

The allegations surfaced after an image appeared online showing a slide from the presentation, listing Operation Rescue and National Right to Life alongside known terrorist organizations. The slide followed one about ISIS, suggesting a comparison between the pro-life groups and the terror group. It included activities such as opposing Roe v. Wade, demonstrating, protesting (a First Amendment right), and picketing, implying that these activities are akin to terrorism.

Troy Newman, Chief of Operation Rescue, responded vehemently to the reports. “Pro-life organizations have absolutely nothing to do with terrorism,” he stated. “The only perceived purpose for disparaging pro-life organizations in such a training would be to satisfy a political agenda and indoctrinate our soldiers. It is truly a disgrace and clearly violates the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878, which limits the powers of the U.S. government to use the military to enforce domestic policies.”

Newman expressed disappointment that the proper authorities either were unaware of the slide or allowed it to be included in multiple trainings. He demanded assurances that this would not happen again following Fort Liberty’s investigation.

The base, after conducting a commander’s inquiry, determined that the slides were not approved by authorities and do not reflect the views of the military operations there. It assured that the slides would no longer be used.

Carol Tobias, President of National Right to Life, also criticized the presentation, stating, “In a presentation that is deeply offensive to pro-life Americans across the nation, Fort Liberty promoted outright lies about National Right to Life in a demonstration of lazy scholarship. In our over 50-year history, National Right to Life has always, consistently, and unequivocally condemned violence against anyone.”

Musk Drops Bombshell About European Commission’s Censorship Demands

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The European Commission is described as an “executive” part of the European Union, and as such it often has operated as an entity unto itself, imposing regulations as it wishes. . .

In fact, a Substack report from JD Rucker explains that it was Margarethe Vestager, executive vice-president of the commission, who announced Musk’s platform Twitter-turned-X, “doesn’t comply with the DSA in key transparency areas. It misleads users, fails to provide adequate ad repository and blocks access to data for researchers.” . . .

“The European Commission offered an illegal secret deal: if we quietly censored speech without telling anyone, they would not fine us,” [Musk] charged. . .

“The other platforms accepted that deal. X did not.”

Rucker commented, “Wow. … If Musk’s accusation is legitimate, then it would seem his platform is truly doing what they claim” of protecting speech. (Read more from “Musk Drops Bombshell About European Commission’s Censorship Demands” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Festival to Search Attendees for ‘Offensive’ Clothing That Promotes ‘Cultural Appropriation’

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People attending the Wireless Festival in London will be searched on entry for “offensive” material, which includes clothing that promotes “cultural appropriation.” . . .

Ticket holders showing up for the rap and hip-hop event in Finsbury Park will be scrutinized for “clothing/garments/items which promote cultural appropriation,” with such items presumably being confiscated.

“The information on Wireless’s website does not specify which items of clothing fall under the ban – raising questions over whether the prohibition extends to sombreros or keffiyeh scarves, a symbol of the Palestinian cause,” reports the Telegraph. . .

Speculation is that the organizers are following a similar policy to the Reading Festival, which banned people from wearing sombreros because they might have offended Mexicans.

The newspaper even suggests that white people wearing their hair in dreadlocks may be frowned upon as offensive to black people (despite dreadlocks having originated in ancient Egypt). (Read more from “Festival to Search Attendees for ‘Offensive’ Clothing That Promotes ‘Cultural Appropriation'” HERE)