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Two words describe the security situation at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13: hot mess. There are so many glaring flaws, and the ground is so inexcusable that it is fertile for conspiracy theorists. Can you blame them? The Secret Service is stonewalling and stacking sandbags amid intense scrutiny from lawmakers from both parties.
Wedon’tknowifwould-beassassinThomasMatthewCrookswasalonegunman.Howmanycasingswererecoveredfromtheroof?Wedon’tknow.WhatwedoknowisthatnooneattheSecretServicehasbeendisciplinedforthiscalamity,andnowtextmessagesobtainedbyTheNewYorkTimesshowthatsnipersknewaboutCrooksearlierthaninitiallyreported.Itprovidesyetanotherdamningupdateontheassassinationattemptthatnearlykilledaformerpresident.Crooksmisseddeliveringafatalheadshotbymillimeters[emphasismine]:
Nearly100minutesbeforeformerPresidentDonaldJ.TrumptookthestageinButler,Pa.,alocalcountersniperwhowaspartofthebroadersecuritydetaillethiscolleaguesknowhisshiftwasending.
“GuysIamout.Besafe,”hetextedtoagroupofcolleaguesat4:19p.m.onJuly13.H