Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 420

July 14, 2024

When does a presumptive nominee become a nominee? Here’s how Donald Trump will make it official

By Leah Askarinam, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly 2,500 delegates are gathering in Milwaukee this week for a roll call vote to select a the Republican presidential nominee, formally ending the presidential primary.

It will be a moment lacking in suspense: Former President Donald Trump has already been the presumptive nominee for months, having clinched a majority of convention delegates on March 12, but he doesn’t officially become the party’s standard-bearer until after the roll call, when delegates vote on the nominee.

Law enforcement officers walk past a Donald Trump sign in the Fiserv Forum as preparations are underway for the Republican National Convention on Sunday, July 14, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The RNC will be held in Milwaukee from July 15-18. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images/TNS)

A vast majority of those delegates are already bound to support Trump, who only needs a majority to win the Republican nomination. However, due to state party rules, at least a handful are still slated to go to former candidate Nikki Haley, even after she released her delegates.

While Democratic delegates are technically allowed to stray from their pledged candidate to vote their conscience, Republican delegates remain bound to their assigned candidate no matter their personal views. That means that the party rules almost guarantee that Trump will officially become the nominee this week.

When is the roll call and how will it go?

The leader of each state delegation will take turns, in alphabetical order, to announce their results. If a delegation passes when it’s their turn, they will have another opportunity to announce their results at the end of the roll call.

Republicans have not yet announced the time and date of the roll call.

How many delegates will support Trump?

At least 2,268 delegates will support Trump at the Republican National Convention, though his ceiling is even higher than that.

Most states send delegates to the convention who are “bound” to a particular candidate, meaning those delegates are required to support a particular candidate at the convention. State parties use primary or caucus vote results and smaller party gatherings to decide how to allocate those delegates to various presidential candidates.

Supporters wave to former President Donald Trump as he arrives to the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport ahead of the 2024 Republican National Convention, Sunday, July 14, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

But at least 150 Republican delegates — including the entire delegations from Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota — are technically “unbound,” meaning they can vote for any candidate at the convention. Dozens of those delegates have already confirmed to the AP that they plan to vote for Trump at the convention — which is reflected in the 2,268 delegates already committed to Trump. Some of those delegates have also said they expect their peers to vote Trump, even if those delegates haven’t confirmed their intentions with the AP.

What happens to a withdrawn candidate’s delegates?

Trump will likely be the only candidate who is formally in contention for the nomination because RNC rules require candidates to win a plurality of delegates in at least five states. Trump is the only candidate to win five states in the primary — Haley won only in Vermont and Washington, D.C, and no other candidate scored a victory in a Republican nomination contest this year. However, individual state party rules prescribe whether delegates bound to withdrawn candidates are permitted to vote for a different candidate, and some require delegates to maintain their pledge to their candidate regardless.

For example, a spokesperson for the North Carolina Republican Party confirmed that Haley’s delegates remain bound to her, according to state rules. She won 12 delegates in the state’s March primary. In New Hampshire, however, state rules say Haley’s nine pledged delegates are free to vote for another candidate ever since she formally withdrew from the race, without any requirement that she formally release them.

In Iowa, where four Republican presidential candidates received delegates, a party spokesperson confirmed that state rules dictate that all 40 delegates would support the only candidate whose name will be put into consideration: Trump.

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Published on July 14, 2024 21:34

America’s toxic political climate faces calls to ‘tone it down’ after assassination attempt on Trump

By Lisa Mascaro and Gary Fields, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — “Tone it down!”

That was the plea from one Republican congressman as he came to grips with the assassination attempt against Donald Trump at a political rally in the Butler Farm area where he grew up.

“I am in a state of bewilderment of how and what has happened to the United States of America,” Rep. Mike Kelly, R-PA., told The Associated Press early Sunday.

People rally in support of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump in Huntington Beach, Calif., Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

The shocking attempt on Trump’s life has brought into stark relief the toxic climate in America’s political life. While the details of the shooter’s motive remain unclear, the violence is a further gauge of how what was once unacceptable, if not unthinkable, in American society has become painfully commonplace.

As the 2024 election enters a crucial phase ahead of the national conventions, how the nation responds will test the first presidential contest since 2020, an election that became defined by efforts to overturn Trump’s defeat and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

On Sunday, civic leaders, pastors and elected officials from President Joe Biden on down appealed to Americans for unity, urging an end to vitriol.

“We can’t allow this violence to be normalized,” Biden said in an evening address to the nation from the Oval Office.

Under a charged atmosphere, the Republican National Convention opens this week in Milwaukee to renominate Trump to lead the ticket, while Democrats prepare for their own convention next month uncertain if the party will stick with the incumbent Biden in an expected rematch.

Activists pray for the safety of President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump and other politicians at Lafayette Square near the White House, Sunday, July 14, 2024, in Washington, one day after an assassination attempt on Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trump’s rhetoric, though tempered in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, had taken on deeper and darker tones in this, his third campaign for the White House.

This spring, Trump who has accused migrants of “poisoning the blood of the country” and vowed to launch the largest domestic deportation operation, told autoworkers there would be a “ bloodbath ” in this country if he is not reelected.

“If we don’t win, I think our country is finished,” he said during the New Hampshire primary.

Trump has promised retribution on his political rivals, particularly those in the Justice Department after he was indicted on federal charges of storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home and in the conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election.

Trump also made make light of violence. When Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, was attacked by an intruder looking for the former House speaker at the family’s San Francisco home in 2022 — beaten over the head with a hammer — Trump mocked the security fencing she had installed as insufficient.

Trump drew chuckles in a speech before California Republicans last year when he asked, “How’s her husband doing, by the way?”

A motorcade of supporters of former President Donald Trump makes a stop at Trump Tower, Sunday, July 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Biden, in turn, has warned that Trump’s return to power poses a grave threat to the country’s civic traditions. He chose a location near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, for his initial 2024 campaign event, portraying the likely rematch as “all about” whether democracy can survive.

Addressing the nation Sunday, Biden pointed to past examples of political upheaval, including Jan. 6 and more recently harassment of election workers, and said, “There’s no place in America for this kind of violence, for any violence, ever.”

Still, one of Trump’s potential vice-presidential picks, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, said on social media over the weekend that Biden’s earlier rhetoric against Trump “led directly” to the attempted assassination.

And House Speaker Mike Johnson, who said it’s time to “turn the temperature down in this country,” also singled out for blame Biden’s recent comments during a call with political donors in which the president said, “It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye.”

Johnson said he knows Biden didn’t literally mean Trump should be targeted, but added, “that kind of language on either side should be called out.”

Nick Beauchamp, an associate professor of political science at Boston’s Northeastern University, said there is an opportunity now for political leaders to “start framing their critiques of the others in words that explicitly denounce violence.”

From the the 1968 killings of American leaders Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. to the 1981 attack on President Ronald Reagan, to shootings of Republicans and Democrats in the past decade, the violent strain has always been part of American politics.

A few Donald Trump supporters react to passing cars at an intersection a few miles from Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., Sunday, July 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Other violent incidents have intersected more recently with the nation’s political struggles in frightful ways.

Outside Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s suburban home, a man with a knife and gun who threated to kill the justice was arrested in 2022. Members of Congress have experienced increased security threats. And harassment against elections officials from cities and states across the nation has led to a wave of departures because of threats on their livelihoods.

Last summer, FBI agents fatally shot a Utah man who had threatened to assassinate Biden and had referred to himself as a “MAGA Trumper.” That followed a series of drive-by shootings earlier in the year targeting Democrats in New Mexico, a startling outburst that led to criminal charges against a failed state legislative candidate who had parroted Trump’s rigged-election rhetoric.

A gunman who died in a shootout in 2022 after trying to get inside the FBI’s Cincinnati office apparently went on social media and called for federal agents to be killed “on sight” following the search at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

Jacob Ware, a research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations who focuses on domestic terrorism, said, “The warning lights have been blinking red regarding violence in this election cycle for months, if not years now.”

As Trump took the stage Saturday evening, he had opened the rally in Pennsylvania as he often does, marveling at the “big beautiful crowd” gathered to see him — and demeaning Biden’s own crowds as paltry in comparison.

The former president had just started his speech, launching into his mass deportation agenda and complaints of a nation in decline.

“Our country is going to hell,” Trump said.

Minutes later, shots rang out.

Rep. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania, who was sitting with other Republican officials behind Trump, called it all just a terrible tragedy. “The level of lack of civility and hostility, maybe this will send a ringing signal to all those to cool it,” he told the AP.

As Americans took stock Sunday, the common message was a call for unity.

The Rev. Chris Morgan, senior pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park, which is a few streets away from where the shooter lived, urged his congregation during a morning service to pray for the country.

“Clearly there’s a lot going on and a lot that is causing people to have great anxiety and great struggle,” he said. “I want to encourage you to be praying for those that have been involved that they too can find what it means to show kindness to others.”

Associated Press writers Ali Swenson, Brian Slodysko and Holly Meyer contributed to this report.

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Published on July 14, 2024 21:23

Podziemski flirts with triple double in Warriors’ Summer League win

LAS VEGAS — Through five games, the Warriors remain undefeated in Summer League play.

They hoisted the Mitch Richmond Trophy with a 3-0 California Classic and have now started the major showcase in Vegas with two straight wins.

In their latest victory, a 92-82 pull-away from Chicago, Brandin Podziemski neared a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. His running mate, Trayce Jackson-Davis, tallied 17 points and 10 boards.

Sunday is expected to be Podziemski and Jackson-Davis’ last Summer League game. It’s standard for established second-year NBA players like themselves to play a few games to get extra offseason reps.

“My wish list is that they play, but we have to look at the big picture,” head coach Anthony Vereen said. “I don’t know what the next plan will be, but I know they’re competitive guys. If you give it up to them, they’re gonna play…It’s been a pleasure to coach them, and I hope I get to coach them a little bit more.”

Golden State fell behind early, but Podziemski keyed an 11-1 run to help them take a 24-23 lead after the first quarter. In that run, the point guard assisted on a Kevin Knox II corner 3 and canned two triples of his own.

Back-to-back buckets from Podziemski in the last 26 seconds of the second quarter sent the Warriors into halftime with some extra rhythm, up three. At half, Podziemski had 14 points, five rebounds and four assists — including an alley-oop dime to Summer League standout Daeqwon Plowden.

Triple-double watch continued for Podziemski. Although he said postgame it wasn’t on his mind, it was clear the guard put an emphasis on setting up his teammates. He opened the second half with an assist to Plowden and a perfect outlet pass for a fast-break dunk off a rebound. Then he found Trayce Jackson-Davis on a no-look pass underneath for an easy jam. That brought his totals to six boards and seven assists.

“I’m not mad if you’re hunting assists,” Vereen said. “If you’re hunting points, I’ve got a problem.”

Podziemski wasn’t hunting his shot, but he did find pockets of the game to get buckets. He dropped in a baseline fadeaway at the end of the shot clock, displaying the level of calm an established NBA player like himself should in Summer League play. As the Warriors earned a double-digit lead, he looked even more comfortable.

In the fourth, Podziemski canned a catch-and-shoot 3, then drove the baseline off a pump fake for a one-handed jam. The last time he dunked like that, Podziemski said, was last year in his hometown of Milwaukee against the Bucks.

“I’ve been putting in work the last 10 weeks on my body,” Podziemski said. “So I figured I’d make it work.”

Podziemski was efficient, going 8-for-14 from the floor, but he also committed seven turnovers.

“A bunch of them were just stupid,” Podziemski said. “Like, why would I do that? A lot of them were in transition, hit-ahead passes. But I feel like in the regular season, I’m going to have guys in different spots. Just our spacing was a little jacked up, but that’s on me to get that organized.”

Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis surged in the second half, draining several tough shots against smaller defenders. The 6-foot-10 wing recorded 28 points on 10-for-22 shooting.

Jackson-Davis provided a force inside, getting to the line for 13 free throw attempts. The coaching staff told him to be more aggressive after Saturday’s game, and he heeded that.

Their shutdowns aren’t official, but it’s fair to consider Podziemski and Jackson-Davis graduated from Summer League.

“I think me and BP grew as players, just leading a team,” Jackson-Davis said. “Defensively, on the floor, I think we were better. And just going out there and competing, I thought we both did that. We got two Ws. Scored (28) combined points. I thought we did our job.”

NotableDraymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Kevon Looney were in the building for Golden State’s night cap.Marques Bolden, who suffered an apparent lower leg injury in Saturday night’s game, didn’t attend the Bulls contest and is in crutches, Vereen said. Bolden crumbled to the floor after going for a rebound, grabbed at his heel and couldn’t put weight on his left leg as teammates helped him off the court.Second-round pick Quinten Post didn’t dress for Sunday night’s game. He hasn’t suited up for a Summer League game, with only two contests left for him to debut. He has been a full participant at practice as he ramps up from a minor leg injury.

Pat Spencer was also inactive for a third straight game.

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Published on July 14, 2024 21:17

SF Giants select Florida State outfielder James Tibbs III with No. 13 draft pick

The Giants added a left-handed bat with their lone pick on the first day of the Major League Baseball Draft, taking Florida State outfielder James Tibbs III with the 13th overall selection in the first round Sunday.

Tibbs, 21, had 55 home runs in 176 games over three seasons at Florida State, hitting .338 with an OPS of 1.147. In winning the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year as a junior, Tibbs hit .363 with 28 home runs and 95 RBIs in just 66 games.

The last Florida State product selected in Round 1 by the Giants was catcher Buster Posey in 2008. It was the highest draft pick for the Seminoles since the Posey selection at No. 5 overall.

“When he got his number retired, he came and talked to us,” Tibbs said in a teleconference with Bay Area reporters. “Just being able to learn from him and hear from him and how he approached the game was something super inspiring. I can’t wait to learn more if I ever get that opportunity.”

The Giants did not have picks in the second and third rounds because free agents Matt Chapman and Blake Snell turned down qualifying offers before signing with San Francisco. They also lost $1 million of their international signing bonus pool.

It's James Tibbs world and we're all just living in it!!!!!

The first Nole since 2010 with a 3-HR game!

T12 | FSU 10, UConn 8 pic.twitter.com/yAT8g75X7A

— FSU Baseball (@FSUBaseball) June 8, 2024

Tibbs watched the draft from home with a large cheering section.

“We had about a hundred people at the house,” Tibbs said. “Coaches, all the way down to the first travel ball team I ever played on. So many friends and family. To be able to experience that with so many people, it means the world to me.”

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 @JamesTibbsIII | #MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/MKlWjHM9bu

— FSU Baseball (@FSUBaseball) July 15, 2024

As for his game, Tibbs said he is looking for a consistent approach.

“Do the same thing every day,” Tibbs said. “I’ll take walks, I’m going to drive the baseball to all parts of the field, and play great defense and continue to improve on all those things.

“I’m hungry and willing to work and want to be a part of championship baseball.”

The Seminoles advanced to the College World Series in 2024 and finished 49-17, with a highlight being a three-home run game by Tibbs in a Super Regional win over UConn. Florida State was eliminated by eventual champion Tennessee in Omaha.

“James is a guy we’ve scouted dating back to high school, a guy we really saw develop through his years at Florida State,” Giants director of amateur scouting Michael Holmes said in a teleconference. “We really believe in his bat, his ability to hit and hit with power, and the left-handed aspect of him being able to drive the ball to all fields.”

Tibbs’ 27th home run moved him past Posey for the seventh-best single-season total in Florida State history. Holmes said Posey is familiar with Tibbs and said “we’re really excited to have another Seminole be a forever Giant.”

Tibbs (6-foot-2, 204) is not regarded as particularly athletic and is projected as a left fielder with the potential of moving to first base. He jumped to first-round status with his junior campaign and his work in the Cape Cod League with a wood bat last summer with a slash line of .303/.390/472 with six home runs in the Cape Cod League.

Tibbs was ranked as the No. 12 overall prospect by MLB.com and some scouts believe he is one of the more major-league ready players in the draft. As a junior, Tibbs had more walks (57) than strikeouts (38).

“We know he has the ability and skills to be a really good major league hitter,” Holmes said. “Whatever pace that comes at, I like to tell players they kind of set their own pace based on the way they go out and perform. We feel he’s got a little bit of a leg up because of that zone control. We’ll get him indoctrinated and allow his play dictate how it goes.”

The last outfielders the Giants selected in the first round were Hunter Bishop of Arizona State in 2019 and Heliot Ramos of the Leadership Christian Academy of Puerto Rico in 2016.

At Pope High in Marietta, Ga., Tibbs helped lead his team to the 6A championship in 2018 and a runner-up finish in 2019.

Tibbs will command an approximate rookie contract of $5.27 million, according to MLB.com.

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Published on July 14, 2024 17:36

Blake Snell flirts with perfect game, SF Giants beat Twins in wild ending

SAN FRANCISCO — Blake Snell may have needed a few months to get going. But with the Giants needing to string together victories after the All-Star Break, the reigning Cy Young Award winner is finally looking like a reigning Cy Young Award winner.

Snell took a perfect game into the seventh inning, Mike Yastrzemski hit a walk-off “Little League home run” in the ninth inning, and the Giants beat the Twins 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park to close out the season’s unofficial first half.

“I thought he really had the chance today to do really, really special things,” Yastrzemski said of Snell. “Obviously, he did something special in terms of how well he pitched. It was awesome to see that.”

Before the madness of the ninth — a frame in which Camilo Doval’s blown save paved the way for San Francisco’s ninth walk-off win of the year — Snell’s dominance defined Sunday afternoon.

The left-hander retired the first 18 batters he faced until Manuel Margot singled to left field to begin the seventh.

The home crowd collectively groaned once Margot’s line drive touched grass, but those groans instantly gave way to a standing ovation. Margot would later be at the center of the drama — in both the top and bottom halves of the ninth.

Snell, for his part, remained locked in.

Following Margot’s single, Snell induced a double play off the bat of Willi Castro — who responded by vehemently spiking his helmet — and ended his afternoon by striking out the Twins’ Brooks Lee with his signature curveball.

Snell had eight strikeouts in seven innings, both season-highs, and no walks — no small feat given that he led the league in free passes last year.

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin in the dugout in the eighth inning of their MLB game against the Minnesota Twins at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

“That’s what you get when you get a Blake Snell that’s healthy, especially towards the second half of the season — that’s when he’s really, really good,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin. “He was a little uneven to begin with injuries and so forth, but he’s really hit his stride now where he feels confident when he takes the mound.”

Doval had appeared to be hitting his stride, too. Entering Sunday, Doval had only allowed one run in his last nine outings. Instead, Doval enters the season’s midway point on a sour note.

San Francisco’s closer inherited a 2-0 lead heading into the ninth, tasked with sending the Giants into the break on a high note, but was unable to finish the inning.

After allowing runners to reach second and third with one out, Doval allowed a game-tying two-run double to Margot, who also broke up Snell’s perfect game. Melvin wasted no time going to Ryan Walker to put out the fire. As Doval slowly walked back to San Francisco’s dugout with his ERA raised to 4.38, jeers filled the stadium.

Doval’s performance would soon be forgotten thanks to two miscues by the Twins on one play in the bottom of the frame.

Yastrzemski led off the ninth by muscling a ball into center field against Twins closer Jhoan Duran. Margot attempted an ill-advised dive and missed the ball by several feet.

Yastrzemski was more than three-quarters of the way to third base when second baseman Brooks Lee fired the ball to third, airmailing it out of play, allowing a jubilant Yastrzemski to trot home and score the winning run.

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) celebrates as he heads for home plate on a throwing error by Minnesota Twins second baseman Brooks Lee (72) after hitting a triple in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. The Giants won the game 3-2. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

For all his dominance, Snell could not get his first win of the season. The win went to Walker, who improved to 6-3.

But if Snell carries this momentum and continues his history of second-half dominance, the wins will follow.

The second half has historically been the time of year that Snell has been at his best. In 106 career first-half starts, Snell has a 3.98 ERA. In 82 career second-half starts, by contrast, Snell has a 2.46 ERA.

The Giants need him, too, as they enter the break in 10th place in the National League and three games out of the third and final wild-card spot.

San Francisco resumes play Friday in Colorado against the Rockies.

“Found some things that I liked today with consistency in my delivery and just repeating that,” Snell said. “Sequences, I was happy with them, but a couple that I could have done better. But overall happy and feel good.”

Snell’s time in San Francisco began on an inauspicious note after signing a two-year, $62 million deal with the Giants in late March. The left-hander missed most of the season’s first three-and-a-half months due to a left adductor and groin strain. He wasn’t effective when he did pitch, either, a byproduct of missing most of spring training.

In his first six starts with the orange and black, Snell allowed 25 earned runs over 23 2/3 innings (9.51 ERA).

Upon returning from the injured list on Tuesday from the groin strain, Snell finally turned in his first truly excellent outing with the Giants: five innings, one hit, three strikeouts, three walks. On Sunday, he turned up the dominance.

“When he’s pitching like this, you really look forward to that day that he’s pitching,” Melvin said. “I know on the other side, when they’re looking for matchups, it’s not the guy you want to face.”

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) celebrates their 3-2 MLB win with teammates after scoring on a throwing error by Minnesota Twins second baseman Brooks Lee (72) after hitting a triple in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Fans react as San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) heads for home plate on a throwing error by Minnesota Twins second baseman Brooks Lee (72) after hitting a triple in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. The Giants won the game 3-2. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) celebrates their 3-2 MLB win with teammate Curt Casali (18) after scoring on a throwing error by Minnesota Twins second baseman Brooks Lee (72) after hitting a triple in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) celebrates as he heads...

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) hits a triple off Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Jhoan Duran (5) in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. He scored the winning run after a throwing error on the play. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws against the Minnesota Twins in the seventh inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. He had a perfect game until he gave up a single to Minnesota Twins’ Manuel Margot (13) in the seventh. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski (5) celebrates after hitting a double off Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Steven Okert (16) as Minnesota Twins second baseman Brooks Lee (72) looks on in the sixth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr. (31) hits a single off Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar (56) in the seventh inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants sidearm relief pitcher Tyler Rogers (71) throws against the Minnesota Twins in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Camilo Doval (75) throws against the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. He gave up an RBI double to Minnesota Twins’ Manuel Margot (13) scoring two runs to tie the game. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Minnesota Twins’ Manuel Margot (13) slips while trying to stretch a double into a triple in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. The RBI double scored two runs to tie the game. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Minnesota Twins’ Brooks Lee (72) congratulates teammates Diego A. Castillo (39) and Byron Buxton (25) after they scored on an RBI double by Manuel Margot (13) in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. The double scored two runs to tie the game. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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San Francisco Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr. (31) is congratulated by teammates after scoring on a single by Patrick Bailey (14) in the third inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants’ Thairo Estrada (39) hits an RBI single off Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Chris Paddack (20) in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Minnesota Twins center fielder Manuel Margot (13) makes a leaping catch on a fly ball hit by San Francisco Giants’ Patrick Bailey (14) in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, July 14, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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Published on July 14, 2024 15:30

Trump shooting changes Biden’s strategy to revive 2024 campaign

By Jordan Fabian, Bloomberg News

President Joe Biden had just begun to turn the tables in his reelection bid when the attempt on Donald Trump’s life took away his most powerful tool: drawing attention to his opponent’s behavior and second-term agenda.

Battered by doubts about his mental fitness and pressure to step aside, Biden fought back on Friday with an energetic speech in Detroit vowing to “shine a spotlight” on Trump — an argument he planned to drive home until Election Day in November.

About 24 hours later, and just under 200 miles away, shots rang out at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, the chilling apex of an era in American politics defined by radicalized views and heated rhetoric.

But Biden’s beleaguered campaign is now limited in how it can push forward. The outburst of political violence stymies his efforts to argue his case. It also undercuts a core premise of his presidency — that he would restore decency and normalcy to national politics.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris arrive to speak from the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 14, 2024, one day after former president Donald Trump survived an apparent assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Instead, the president will hope that a unifying message in a time of crisis can resonate with voters. Biden announced that he would deliver a rare Oval Office address on trying to bring the nation together at 8 p.m. local time.

“There’s no place in America for this kind of violence,” Biden told reporters at the White House. “Unity is the most elusive goal of all, but nothing is as important than that right now.”

The intense focus on the attempted assassination does offer Biden a reprieve from the conversation that had dominated headlines for weeks: whether he should withdraw after his disastrous debate. One Democratic donor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that they previously believed the party would be best served by replacing Biden, but there’s no way that could happen now without contributing to a sense of chaos.

The shooting — and Trump’s iconic, bloodied, fist-pumping response — seems certain to rally voters and donors behind the Republican candidate.

US Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by secret service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13, 2024. (Photo by REBECCA DROKE/AFP via Getty Images)

Business leaders Elon Musk and Bill Ackman, who previously resisted endorsing the former president, came out with public statements backing Trump within minutes of his being struck.

It will be days or weeks before public opinion surveys are released assessing the aftermath. But former President Ronald Reagan saw a substantial increase in support when he was shot and wounded in 1981. Many presidential historians say that attack cemented his status in the conservative movement.

By contrast, Biden must balance how to push forward without seeming insensitive. The president expressed sympathy for Trump on Sunday while vowing a “thorough and swift” federal investigation, a Secret Service probe into its security measures and an independent review of the shooting that he pledged to release to the American people.

The president urged people not to “make assumptions” about the gunman’s “motives or his affiliations,” imploring the public to “Let the FBI do their job, and their partner agencies do their job.”

With Election Day less than four months away, Biden badly needs to reverse his standing.

Figures on both sides of the aisle have called for leaders to rise above the political fray and attempt to heal national divisions. The shooting confirmed the fears of half of swing-state voters, who said in a Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll in May that they were worried about violence surrounding the election.

Milwaukee Prepares For The Republican National Convention

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JULY 14: People hold a prayer vigil for former president Donald Trump during a voter registration event in the downtown area before the start of the Republican National Convention (RNC) on July 14, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Trump suffered minor injuries during a campaign rally after a gunman opened fire killing one person and injuring two critically on July 13th in Butler, Pennsylvania. Delegates, politicians, and the Republican faithful are arriving in Milwaukee for the annual convention, concluding with former President Donald Trump accepting his party’s presidential nomination. The RNC takes place from July 15-18. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JULY 14: A person writes a message on a Get Well Soon poster board during a vigil for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at Zeidler Union Square on July 14, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Trump suffered minor injuries during a campaign rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania after a gunman opened fired killing one person and injuring two critically days before the start of the 2024 Republican National Convention where he is expected to formally receive the GOP nomination for the 2024 U.S. Presidential election at the RNC. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JULY 14: People pray during a vigil for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at Zeidler Union Square on July 14, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Trump suffered minor injuries during a campaign rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania after a gunman opened fired killing one person and injuring two critically days before the start of the 2024 Republican National Convention where he is expected to formally receive the GOP nomination for the 2024 U.S. Presidential election at the RNC. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JULY 14: People attend a vigil for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at Zeidler Union Square on July 14, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Trump suffered minor injuries during a campaign rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania after a gunman opened fired killing one person and injuring two critically days before the start of the 2024 Republican National Convention where he is expected to formally receive the GOP nomination for the 2024 U.S. Presidential election at the RNC. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Trump Supporters Gather Outside Of Mar-A-Lago After Shooting At Trump Rally In Pennsylvania

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA – JULY 14: Supporters of former president Donald Trump gather outside of Mar-A-Lago on July 14, 2024 in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump survived an assassination attempt while speaking at a rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was escorted away by the Secret Service with an injury to his ear. According to reports, the FBI has identified the gunman, killed at the scene, as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. One attendee at the rally was killed and two others severely injured. (Photo by Saul Martinez/Getty Images)

Supporters of former US president Donald Trump gather outside Trump Tower in New York on July 14, 2024, one day after Trump survived an apparent assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

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Already, the president’s campaign said it would pause messaging and television ads. Biden postponed a Monday speech in Austin to mark the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. His campaign canceled a Monday event counter-programming the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Vice President Kamala Harris delayed political travel originally scheduled for Tuesday in Florida, according to a campaign official.

The White House has not said if Biden will continue with prime-time interviews this week with NBC News and BET, or travel to Las Vegas to address Black and Latino advocacy groups.

Republican criticism

While law enforcement officials, and Trump himself, have not ascribed a motive to the shooter, some Republicans have already made unsubstantiated claims blaming Biden for motivating the would-be assassin.

“The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs,” Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, a possible Trump running mate, posted on X. “That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”

Supporters of the president pointed to his call for unity after the shooting. Biden also said he had a short call with Trump.

Still, the failed assassination attempt shifts the dynamics of the race in Trump’s favor.

It’s a remarkable twist of fate for Trump, who has glorified violence throughout his political career, from encouraging rally attendees in 2016 to “knock the crap” out of protesters to telling supporters to “fight like hell” on Jan. 6, 2021 just before they stormed the US Capitol.

“Biden’s inevitable ritual condemnation of political violence today (when it comes) will be insufficient and irrelevant,” posted Vivek Ramaswamy, who ran against Trump in the 2024 GOP primaries.

Defiant images

Republican pollster Frank Luntz said the shooting guarantees “every Trump voter will actually vote,” while Biden won’t be able to count on that certainty. The biggest effect is likely to be in battleground Pennsylvania — a must-win for Biden — because that is where the shooting occurred, he said.

“The long and winding road for Joe Biden just became even longer and windier,” Luntz posted on X. “The shooting of Donald Trump will be significantly consequential in a way the shooter never intended.”

With Trump dominating the national conversation, there’s little Biden can do in the near term to push his anti-Trump message, mend Democratic divisions and shift the dynamics of the race in a way that reassures skeptics.

“This has got to help Donald Trump, at least for a while, with independents,” said Matthew Wilson, a Southern Methodist University political science professor. “Those images showing a defiant Donald Trump with blood on his face and his fist in the air are better advertising than anything money can buy.”

Others urged caution in overstating the impact of the moment. They pointed to a minimal shift in polls after other seismic events, including Biden’s debate catastrophe and Trump’s conviction in the New York hush money trial.

Senator Bernie Sanders, a progressive stalwart, expressed confidence in Biden’s chances as long as he focuses on his plans for a second term to bolster the social safety net, slash drug prices and expand workers’ rights.

“If he continues to talk about that, I think he gets reelected,” Sanders said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

With assistance from Bill Allison, Alicia Diaz, Jenny Leonard and Julie Fine.

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Published on July 14, 2024 15:20

A timeline of the assassination attempt on former President Trump

By Jamie Stengle, Associated Press

Former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally Saturday that set off panic as a bloodied Trump was surrounded by Secret Service and hurried into his vehicle.

A former fire chief attending the rally with family was killed, as was the gunman. Two other people were critically wounded.

An AP analysis of more than a dozen videos and photos from the scene of the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, as well as satellite imagery of the site, shows the shooter was able to get astonishingly close to the stage where the former president was speaking.

Here’s what’s known so far about the timeline of the shooting.

6:02 p.m. ET

Trump takes the stage to the strains of “God Bless the U.S.A.” He waves at the cheering crowd and begins his regular rally speech, with spectators both in front of him and behind him on risers.

Donald Trump Holds A Campaign Rally In Butler, Pennsylvania

Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at a rally at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Shortly after, shots rang out and Trump slumped before being whisked away by Secret Service with injuries visible to the side of his head. Butler County district attorney Richard Goldinger said the shooter and one audience member are dead and another was injured. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)Around 6:10 p.m.

— After officers were told that a man acting suspiciously and pacing near magnetometers was climbing a ladder on a nearby building, according to a local law enforcement officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation, a local officer climbed to the roof, according to Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe.

— A man identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks turned toward the officer just before the officer dropped down to safety, Slupe said.

— Trump is showing off border-crossing numbers when gunfire begins.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is helped off the stage at a campaign event in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

— As the first pop rings out, Trump say “Oh,” and raises his hand to his right ear and looks at it, before quickly crouching to the ground behind his lectern.

— Secret Service agents rush to the stage and pile atop the former president to shield him.

— Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old former fire chief attending the rally, is shot and killed. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Sunday that Comperatore used his body as a shield to protect his wife and daughter.

— Secret Service counter snipers fire back and shoot Crooks.

About 1 minute after the shots

— Video shows Trump getting to his feet and reaching with his right hand toward his face, which was smeared with blood.

— As Trump stands up, he pumps to the crowd with his right fist.

Former President Trump has blood smeared across his face as he holds up a fist

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he is rushed offstage by Secret Service agents after being grazed by a bullet during a campaign rally on Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images/TNS)

— He appears to mouth the word “fight” twice to his crowd of supporters, prompting loud cheers and then chants of “USA. USA. USA.”

About 2 minutes after the shots

Trump turns back to the crowd and again raises a fist right before agents put him into a vehicle and he is taken to a local hospital.

Attendees duck from gunfire during a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump at Butler Farm Show Inc. on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)6:50 p.m.

Secret Service says “the former President is safe.”

8:42 p.m.

Trump posts on his social media site that he was injured in the upper part of his 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,” he said.

Campaign signs and empty water bottles are seen on the ground of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)About 12:10 a.m.

Trump’s private jet lands at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Video posted by an aide showed the former president deplaning, flanked by U.S. Secret Service agents and heavily armed members of the agency’s counter assault team. It was an unusually visible show of force by his protective detail.

Trump travels to his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey, to spend the night.

Stengle contributed to this report from Dallas. Associated Press writer Michael Balsamo contributed to this report from Chicago and writer Colleen Long contributed to this report from Washington.

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Published on July 14, 2024 14:55

Horoscopes July 14, 2024: Jane Lynch, improve your future

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Scott Porter, 45; Matthew Fox, 58; Jackie Earle Haley, 63; Jane Lynch, 64.

Happy Birthday: Keep an open mind, but close your wallet. Change your focus this year to saving and searching for unique ways to increase your income. Sell off what you no longer need or use, and declutter your space so you can breathe easily. Getting back to basics will give you the freedom and peace of mind you require to follow your dreams and improve your future. Your numbers are 4, 15, 23, 27, 32, 40, 44.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Participate in something you feel passionate about or attend a social event that promises stimulating discussions and ideas that spark your imagination. A creative approach to using your skills and physical attributes will attract attention. Romance and a positive lifestyle change look promising. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Take pride in what you do and who you are. Personal growth and attention to how you present yourself and what you can offer will promote unexpected opportunities. Check out institutional offers that encourage training in marketable trades. Home fixes and self-improvement are favored. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Attitude is everything. Take the initiative and be the one to organize and plan events and activities that will get you involved in your community or put you in a leadership position. It’s time to expand your options and make others aware of your talents. 5 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Consider your long-term goals, financial investments and prospects, and change your lifestyle to suit your needs. Using your skills differently or offering a service that’s in demand will buy you the freedom you need to live life your way. Physical fitness will boost your energy and attitude. 2 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Monitor what’s happening, and document what’s important. A curious attitude and charm will put others at ease and make them eager to share information. The more data you gather, the easier it will be to incorporate positive alternatives into your everyday routine. 4 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Incorporate some excitement into your daily routine. A short trip, activity or gathering will enlighten you and prompt you to rethink about your living situation. Returning to what’s important to you, you’ll discover you don’t need as much as you thought to feel content. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You’ll gain insight into using your knowledge and experience to further your prospects. Discussing something with a close friend or relative will encourage them to help you close in on your dreams, hopes and wishes. Love and romance are in the stars. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Emotions will be difficult to control. Compose yourself before you act out or make a fuss. Social events will help you see others through a unique lens. Be more observant and less revealing, and you’ll maintain control of whatever situation you encounter. Avoid big-ticket items. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Watch your step. Agree to something only if you have done your research. Make sure your plans are cost-efficient and you base your decisions on facts, not emotions. You can’t buy love, but you can charm your way into someone’s heart. Rethink your strategy. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you desire change, look around you and start from the inside out. A healthy attitude will put you in the right frame of mind to change your living arrangements to suit your needs. Don’t let emotions interfere with what’s best for you. 4 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Make yourself clear. Honesty is the best policy when dealing with friends, relatives and anyone else trying to compromise you. Stick close to home and enjoy what you’ve worked hard to acquire. Don’t feel guilty; feel grateful and proud of your accomplishments. Love yourself. 2 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Temptation will be problematic if you lack discipline. Refuse to let anyone talk you into something that can lead to trouble with authority figures. Be the hero, not the perpetrator, and save the day by influencing others to do what’s right. 5 stars

Birthday Baby: You are energetic, ambitious and disciplined. You are demonstrative and resourceful.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

Want a link to your daily horoscope delivered directly to your inbox each weekday morning? Sign up for our free Coffee Break newsletter at mercurynews.com/newsletters or eastbaytimes.com/newsletters.

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Published on July 14, 2024 03:01

Officials say man who opened fire at Trump rally was a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign says he is “fine” after what law enforcement officials are treating as an assassination attempt during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Officials said the man who opened fire was a 20-year-old from Pennsylvania.

The FBI early Sunday named Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the shooter in the assassination attempt on Trump. The agency said the investigation remains active and ongoing.

The political leanings of Crooks were not immediately clear. Records show Crooks was registered as a Republican voter in Pennsylvania, but federal campaign finance reports also show he gave $15 to a progressive political action committee on Jan. 20, 2021, the day President Joe Biden was sworn in to office.

What happened at Trump rally shooting?

In a social media post, Trump said he was “shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.” The former president was quickly whisked from the stage by Secret Service agents, his ear covered in blood.

BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 13: Law enforcement agents stand near the stage of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. According to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger, the suspected gunman is dead after injuring former President Trump, killing one audience member and injuring at least one other. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 13: Campaign signs and empty water bottles are seen on the ground of a campaign rally for Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. According to Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger, the suspected gunman is dead after injuring former President Trump, killing one audience member and injuring at least one other. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is covered by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

People take cover as U.S. Secret Service agents surround Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on stage at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JULY 13: People watch television news at a bar in Milwaukee displaying images from a campaign rally for former U.S. President Donald Trump where he was apparently injured on July 13, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Details are unclear, but Secret Service quickly ushered Trump away while speaking at the Pennsylvania rally. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

US President Joe Biden steps off Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Lanham, Maryland, on July 14, 2024. US President Joe Biden led the condemnation after his election rival Donald Trump was wounded in a shooting incident at a rally in Pennsylvania July 13 that also reportedly killed at least one bystander. Political leaders on both sides of the aisle slammed the violence minutes after the Republican candidate was rushed off stage by the Secret Service, blood running down his face. (Photo by SAMUEL CORUM / AFP) (Photo by SAMUEL CORUM/AFP via Getty Images)

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A prosecutor said the suspected gunman and at least one attendee are dead, and the Secret Service said two spectators were critically injured.

Biden and political leaders of all stripes condemned the attack. “There’s no place in America for this type of violence,” Biden said. “It’s sick. It’s sick.”

Where is Trump now?

Trump’s private jet landed shortly after midnight Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Video posted by an aide showed him deplaning flanked by Secret Service agents and heavily armed members of the agency’s counter assault team, an unusually visible show of force by his protective detail.

Trump planned to spend the night at his private golf club in nearby Bedminster, New Jersey.

Meanwhile, Biden arrived at the White House early Sunday after cutting short a weekend trip to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

The White House said he would receive a briefing from Homeland Security and law enforcement officials on the attempted assassination of Trump later in the morning.

Vice President Kamala Harris was also to attend.

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Published on July 14, 2024 00:20

July 13, 2024

Secret Service investigating how gunman who shot, injured Trump was able to get so close

By Michael Biesecker and Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press

The U.S. Secret Service is investigating how a gunman armed with an AR-style rifle was able to get close enough to shoot and injure former President Donald Trump at a rally Saturday in Pennsylvania, a monumental failure of one the agency’s core duties.

The gunman, who was killed by Secret Service personnel, fired multiple shots at the stage from an “elevated position outside of the rally venue,” the agency said.

An Associated Press analysis of more than a dozen videos and photos taken at the Trump rally, as well as satellite imagery of the site, shows the shooter was able to get astonishingly close to the stage where the former president was speaking. A video posted to social media and geolocated by the AP shows the body of a man wearing gray camouflage lying motionless on the roof of a manufacturing plant just north of the Butler Farm Show grounds, where Trump’s rally was held.

Former President Trump is rushed off a stage by Secret Service agents

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (Photo by REBECCA DROKE/AFP via Getty Images)

The roof was less than 150 meters (yards) from where Trump was speaking, a distance from which a decent marksman could reasonably hit a human-sized target. For reference, 150 meters is a distance at which U.S. Army recruits must hit a scaled human-sized silhouette to qualify with the M16 assault rifle in basic training. The AR-15, like the shooter at the Trump rally had, is the semi-automatic civilian version of the military M16.

The FBI early Sunday identified the shooter as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania.

The Secret Service didn’t have anybody at a late-night news conference where FBI and Pennsylvania State Police officials briefed reporters on the shooting investigation. FBI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek said it was “surprising” that the gunman was able to fire at the stage before he was killed.

Members of the Secret Service’s counter sniper team and counter assault team were at the rally, according to two law enforcement officials. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss details of the investigation.

The heavily-armed counter assault team, whose Secret Service code name is “Hawkeye,” is responsible for eliminating threats so that other agents can shield and take away the person they are protecting. The counter sniper team, known by the code name “Hercules,” uses long-range binoculars and is equipped with sniper rifles to deal with long-range threats.

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said his department and the Secret Service are working with law enforcement to investigate the shooting. Maintaining the security of presidential candidates and their campaign events is one of the department’s “most vital priorities,” he said.

“We condemn this violence in the strongest possible terms and commend the Secret Service for their swift action today,” Mayorkas said. “We are engaged with President Biden, former President Trump and their campaigns, and are taking every possible measure to ensure their safety and security.“

Calls for an investigation came from all sides.

James Comer, a Kentucky Republican who is the House Oversight Committee chairman, said he contacted the Service Service for a briefing and called on Director Kimberly Cheatle to appear for a hearing. Comer said his committee will send a formal invitation soon.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is covered by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“Political violence in all forms is unamerican and unacceptable. There are many questions and Americans demand answers,” Comer said in a statement.

U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, a New York Democrat, called for investigating “security failures” at the rally.

“The federal government must constantly learn from security failures in order to avoid repeating them, especially when those failures have implications for the nation,” Torres said.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, posted on X that he and his staff are in contact with security planning coordinators ahead of the Republican National Convention set to begin Monday in Milwaukee. “We cannot be a country that accepts political violence of any kind — that is not who we are as Americans,” Evers said.

The FBI said it will lead the investigation into the shooting, working with the Secret Service and local and state law enforcement.

Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department “will bring every available resource to bear to this investigation.”

“My heart is with the former President, those injured, and the family of the spectator killed in this horrific attack,” Garland said in a statement. “We will not tolerate violence of any kind, and violence like this is an attack on our democracy.”

Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.

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Published on July 13, 2024 23:39

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