US - Shots fired at Donald Trump rally in Pennsylvania as former president is seen with blood across his face, 13 July 2024

[Marantz4250b]

I looked him up in the state's voter registration site.

View attachment 517712

Voter Registration Status

May I ask - why on earth do you have to identify your political leanings in order to vote in the USA? Do you have have secret ballots?

 

[CatsandMystery]

I feel it's relevant to point out that he was 17 years old and in 11th grade when that contribution was made.

Good catch, seems that combined with where the donation was made and the fact that there was a man by the same name in the state the donation was made lend a lot of credibility to the donation not being made by the shooter.

 

[Bounceycat]

Good catch, seems that combined with where the donation was made and the fact that there was a man by the same name in the state the donation was made lend a lot of credibility to the donation not being made by the shooter.

It had his address so I don't believe it was mistaken identity. But just pointing out he was young and it was before he was even old enough to register to vote.

 

[Marantz4250b]

There are some really insane conspiracy theories going around about this, as one might imagine.

The really messed up thing, though, is that, given what the Supreme Court said less than a fortnight ago, if Biden arranged this then absolutely 100% legal!

I'm not in any way saying that he did, obviously, but that doesn't change the legal reality of the statement.

 

[Sarahlou]

If this was an arranged hit they'd have got someone who could actually do the job properly.

 

[Charlot123]

The shooter must have known that he would not get out of it alive. Who is ready to give up their life for politics? Nobody sane, IMO.

1) the shooter could have had typical “Herostrates syndrome”. Such people either randomly shoot at big gatherings, or wait for special events.
2) or, he could have been the victim of extreme societal polarization, when people on both sides, essentially, get the same message, “vote for (the opposite candidate), and the Apocalypse will happen.” Sometimes the wording might be scary. I learned to block it, but young people, especially first time presidential voters, might be susceptible to it.

 

[Marantz4250b]

If this was an arranged hit they'd have got someone who could actually do the job properly.

It was rank incompetence. 130 yards with an AR - I was doing better than that at 200 yards with a .44 revolver the other week!

 

[LaborDayRN]

Has Melania said anything publicly yet?
I know we’ve seen reactions from Trump’s three eldest kids.

Barron had just started to emerge from being hermetically sealed by his mother, and I feel for him as he must be so terrified.

Personally I’d really like to see Melania show up, or at least release some statement about concern for her husband.

It’s really a bad look if she just decides to swan around in Mar-a-Lago.

JMO

For some reason her absence has made me wonder if they are living seperately at this point.

 

[OddOneOut]

May I ask - why on earth do you have to identify your political leanings in order to vote in the USA? Do you have have secret ballots?

You only have to choose a party when voting in the primaries. You have to tell them whether to give you a Democrat or Republican ballot. In November, for the presidential, senator, etc. election we can vote either way or vote some Democrat and some Republican offices or for another party. The ballot shows everyone that is running. Yes, our actual votes are secret.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Accounts from people who know the shooter's family make it seem this could lean in the mental health direction.

But he still had access to a high powered weapon.....

 

[OddOneOut]

For some reason her absence has made me wonder if they are living seperately at this point.

Or Trump didn't want her out in public for safety reasons. We don't know what kind of threats might be made against candidates and their families. Sad, but there are some people out there that take things too far.

 

[Seattle1]

It's confirmed in my mind. You're looking at the wrong Thomas Crooks. This is the shooter:

View attachment 517716

He's the one on the bottom at this link:

Browse Individual contributions - FEC.gov

Clicking on his name gives you the info, then clicking on the button on the top of that page that says Open Image gets you what I SS'ed at the top of this post.

I first heard of the political contribution by Live NBC reporter and no reason to believe reporter didn't verify what she reported. Perhaps the confusion is coming from the FEC form itself that reports the same street address and zip code as listed on Crooks voter registration but lists the city as Pittsburgh versus Bethel Park.
I guess I don't understand the concern over his donation since I personally make financial contributions to candidates and issues, and not political parties. I hope my mind never narrows where I can't see beyond a party affiliation. JMO

 

[Marantz4250b]

But he still had access to a high powered weapon.....

Yet not old enough to buy a handgun!

 

[GRT]

The level of incompetence is shocking.

SBM
BBM

I think so, too. Especially given that we've seen photos of the shooter on the roof getting ready to shoot, and we know police sharpshooters on another roof killed him after he fired.

That means police or SS should have spotted and taken him out before he could fire.

 

[Marantz4250b]

SBM
BBM

I think so, too. Especially given that we've seen photos of the shooter on the roof getting ready to shoot, and we know police sharpshooters on another roof killed him after he fired.

That means police or SS should have spotted and taken him out before he could fire.

All stuff which will add to the insane conspiracy theories.

 

[Dotta]

Dbm

 

[Anxala]

Or Trump didn't want her out in public for safety reasons. We don't know what kind of threats might be made against candidates and their families. Sad, but there are some people out there that take things too far.

^ Trump being one of them. Violence begets violence. No excuse for the attempt on his life but you reap what you sow.

 

[GRT]

All stuff which will add to the insane conspiracy theories.

And typically, it's just a matter of human error or incompetence.

 

[Seattle1]

May I ask - why on earth do you have to identify your political leanings in order to vote in the USA? Do you have have secret ballots?

I'm from the UK and took me a while to figure this out:

In the general election, you are eligible to vote for any candidate from any party. It does not matter if you are registered with a political party or who you voted for in the past. And you can vote in the general election even if you did not vote in your state's primary or caucus.

However, primaries and caucuses are ways that political parties in each state choose a candidate to run for president or Congress. Depending on your state's or locality's voting rules, its primary or caucus elections can be open, closed, or a combination of both.

• During an open primary or caucus, people can vote for a candidate of any political party.
• During a closed primary or caucus, only voters registered with that party can take part and vote.
• "Semi-open" and "semi-closed" primaries and caucuses are variations of the two main types.

Do you have to vote for the party you are registered with? | USAGov

Do you have to vote for the candidate from your political party? It depends on whether it is a general election, a primary, or a caucus. Get the facts.

www.usa.gov

State Primary Election Types

The manner in which party primary elections are conducted varies widely from state to state. Primaries can be categorized as either closed, partially closed, partially open, open to unaffiliated voters, open or top-two.

www.ncsl.org

Voters Have the Right to a Secret Ballot

Voters in the United States have the right to cast their ballots freely, safely and privately through a secret ballot.

campaignlegal.org

 

[GRT]

^ Trump being one of them. Violence begets violence. No excuse for the attempt on his life but you reap what you sow.

Don't go biblical on us.