As of now, the investigation into the attempt on Donald Trump’s life has provided more questions than answers. Exactly what we didn’t need in this country right now.
Here’s where it stands — and where things should go.
First: Forget the FBI. The FBI has stated that it has the investigation into the attempt on Donald Trump’s life (there is a federal statute specifically for trying to kill even a former POTUS ), but that they are pointedly not investigating failures by the US Secret Service.
This is understandable; it is not the Bureau’s role to investigate administrative breakdowns in other federal agencies, unless those breakdowns rise to the level of criminality. But short of some actual intent to hurt Donald Trump, right now USSS appears guilty of negligence and incompetence, but not of a criminal conspiracy. (The term I’ve been using on the air: a “conspiracy of indifference”).
Now, the FBI should provide updates on Crooks, his intent, background, etc. And they should be briefing the media and the American people.
If past is prologue: Don’t hold your breath. Biden won’t order it — he’s lost interest in his presidency and appears to be fading fast.
And Wray just wants to get to the end of his term and sail off into a high-paying gig. He has no interest in doing anything that could make Donald Trump look sympathetic. Proof? He’s admitted the FBI had the Hunter laptop for a year — and knew it was legit. But he “didn’t want to interfere in an election.”
Right. So instead, hide the truth from us, further undermine faith in your agency… and interfere in an election nonetheless.
(Chris Wray testifying in Congress. Why am I not reassured?)
Now, regarding Crooks….
Second: Don’t buy into the conspiracy theories. This idea that he had “encrypted apps” from “overseas servers” and therefore must be part of some deep dark conspiracy is, under the facts available now, extremely unlikely. Put yourself in the shoes of a foreign intel service. Your going to put your operations in the hands of this kid, whose life and mental health appear borderline at best?
The most I can entertain on this front — and this is a stretch — is that there was some version of a “catfishing” operation. Meaning: Someone from overseas hooked into Crooks, recognized him as leading a slipping-down life, and decided to cajole him into doing something crazy.
This writer worked several such operations years ago, in the terrorism world. They were extremely low-rent, involving marginal characters being weaponized by unsophisticated actors overseas. They rarely amount to much.
So: Could he have been radicalized by someone? Fallen under some seductive ideology? Perhaps. Is there an unapprehended co-conspirator, or a support team, that was running around out in Pennsylvania, as part of an operation launched from overseas?
No.
Third: So who, then, is investigating the USSS failures? Well technically, it should be the Inspector General of DHS (recall that the Secret Service is under DHS). The problem there is that this IG reports to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas — perhaps the most politicized and incompetent fed we’ve got. I’m skeptical of any answers coming from there; Mayorkas has been credibly accused of interfering with the IG.
(Now here’s a pair. Platitudes and disinformation, coming right up…!)
So I have no faith in the IG providing any real answers — and certainly not before November 5th.
So: We’re down to Congress. And as Senator Ron Johnson has stated, the USSS and FBI have been repeatedly stonewalling them.
So now what?
Enter The Whistleblowers — And Subpoenas
The FBI and DHS IG are going to do what federal agencies always do in these instances — hide behind the “ongoing investigation” response.
Congress shouldn’t stand for it.
Now, there is a bipartisan Task Force set up to investigate the shooting (they were out in Butler to inspect the crime scene Monday). Good for them. But don’t expect the Dems on the committee to allow this to go to the nepotistic hiring of an incompetent Director Cheatle or to the current acting head, Ronald Rowe. Nor will they allow this to touch the ultimate culprits here in ascending order: Mayorkas and an utterly checked-out Joe Biden.
This is where our separation-of-powers is so important. The USSS is part of the Executive. Time for the Legislative to flex its muscles.
The independent investigations going on in Congress need to take the lead. There are several, which only adds to the confusion around this that the current administration is benefiting by.
The Republicans need to synchronize their efforts and start getting whistleblowers on the record in open testimony — including current members of USSS.
They also need to start issuing subpoenas for the communications between the locals and the USSS. Now, this is important: Go direct to the locals. The federal agencies may try to stall Congress, but the locals won’t. Get the documents, emails, texts, and statements from the members of all the local agencies. Get the cops into Congress. Start to build the timeline.
Then: Put ONE person from Congress on-point to talk to the media (a lawyer would be good).
Yes, I know they’ll all be trying to get in front of the cameras. But this is a time for unity. If that kid was even a slightly better shot, we would’ve had live footage beamed all over the world that would’ve made the Zapruder film look like a Saturday morning cartoon. This is serious business. This is history.
And let anyone who defies a subpoena know that they’ll be held in contempt, and referred to DOJ. Yes, DOJ will do nothing — I get that. But the implication will be: if Trump wins, you’re going to have to lawyer up — because Trump’s DOJ will be coming for you. So we may get some movement.
Really, all this should’ve been done already (we’re six weeks out from the event). And as I said on-air immediately after the shooting, the last thing this country needs now is another boondoggle that saps our confidence in government and feels like a cover-up.
And predictably, that’s exactly what this rudderless administration is giving us.
DNC Follies
So last week you’re humble narrator was sent out to cover the DNC in Chicago. By now you might’ve seen some footage (to be honest, I’m not sure what made it on-air and what didn’t).
Suffice to say, there was a real continuum of protestors there, from those that hate Israel to those that really hate Israel to those that hate the U.S. and Israel to those that just hate everything.
(I’m not joking; the anarchists there wanted pretty much all of civilization as-we-know-it to go away).
Now, I’ll be posting a podcast over on the paid site of some of the more dramatic footage I was able to get, but I feel compelled to post the below.
Some of you might’ve caught this on the Gutfeld! show recently… but everyone now and then someone emerges to restore your faith. Meet one such man.
First: Here’s a flavor for the kind of thing going on at the DNC (double click the image for the vid):
This “soldier” seems to think he’s in the Soviet army. Who’s going to tell him?
Then there’s this. (If you listen, the nice young lad carrying this “Uncle Sam with bloodstained hands” puppet says, “look at all the oinkers over there,” referring to Chicago PD).
And this, showing the anarchist black flag at the head of a march:
Amidst all this, unintimidated and uncowed, entered this genius. Something about him caught my eye as he entered the protest field, carrying an enormous American flag and a bullhorn. Was he another protestor? Of a different flavor?
Oh he was. The first clue as to where he was coming from was when he walked right into the fray, raised his bullhorn and stated, “F*ck y’all. This is America.”
It proceded from there:
And predictably, things got testy:
Yes, our man held the line…. They broke his flag, accosted him, cursed at him, tried to push him out… he wouldn’t go. His basic message: “This is America. We have our own problems here.”
Chicago: What are you doing? Here’s your next mayor!
A Perfect Pair
From The Epoch Times:
And from Politico:
So: a giant caravan arriving shortly, to get out ahead of a potential Trump presidency; and a California legislature that wants to offer them up to $150,000 in unsecured loans.
Go ahead, Kamala, this is your former state. Show us your border chops.
We’ll wait.
And Another Perfect Pair:
From the Boeing website:
And from The NY Post:
Remember, Crime Is Down, Dammit!
As Groucho said, “Who you gonna believe — me or your own eyes?”
From our friend, the indispensible Reza Chowdhury….
Remember: NYC doesn’t report its crime numbers up to the FBI — along with many other deteriorating blue cities.
And finally…
If you’re wondering about how our nationwide epidemic in shoplifting can still be ongoing…
Sort of captures it all, doesn’t it?
Stay safe, all!
Why issue subpoenas when these skells wipe their butts with them?? When did adherence to law become optional? We are screwed. The United Nations of Terrorists loaded into the country waiting to pop the cork.
I’ll say one thing, Paul, nothing can sap my confidence in government any more than it already is…