The 20-year-old man who shot former President Donald Trump on Saturday at a rally in Pennsylvania aroused suspicions from law enforcement hours before he opened fire on the former president, striking him in the ear and hitting several people who were in the crowd. Thomas Matthew Crooks arrived at security screening for the event three hours before it started and immediately landed on law enforcement’s radar when they found a laser rangefinder on him. Rangefinders are commonly used in hunting, long distance shooting, and golf as the device, which can look similar to a small pair of binoculars, instantly tells users how far away they are from a given target. One of the counter-sniper teams noticed that Crooks was monitoring their position with the rangefinder and they continued to monitor him while he was in the area. Before going to the rally, Crooks went to Home Depot where he purchased a ladder that he used to climb up onto a roof approximately 450-feet away from where Trump was standing on stage. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) said on Wednesday that Secret Service’s meeting with Senators was “a 100% cover-your-a** briefing.” “He was identified as being suspicious one hour before the shooting. He had a range finder and a backpack. The Secret Service lost sight of him,” Barrasso told The Daily Wire. “No one has taken responsibility. No one has been held responsible. Someone has died. The president was almost killed. The head of the Secret Service needs to go.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Local law enforcement officials warned the Secret Service before Trump’s rally that they lacked the resources to station a patrol car outside of the building where Crooks climbed on the roof and shot Trump and others in attendance. Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger told The Washington Post that the Secret Service “was informed that the local police department did not have the manpower to assist with securing that building.” A Secret Service official confirmed to the newspaper that Goldinger’s allegation was accurate. The official said that having officers posted outside of buildings is critical for preventing potential assassins from gaining rooftop access to buildings where they have the high ground and a clear line of sight on their target. Video from the incident that was analyzed by the Post showed that police were warned at least 86 seconds before the suspect opened fire. Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle said during an interview this week that she would not resign after her agency failed to prevent the shooting.

MSNBC host Joy Reid suggested during a Wednesday broadcast that President Joe Biden surviving another bout of COVID would telegraph just as much strength as former President Donald Trump raising his fist, telling his supporters to “fight” just seconds after he had been shot. Reid appeared to lament the fact that Trump had gotten an iconic photo out of the assassination attempt, but then claimed that if people saw his quick return to the campaign trail — and the Republican National Convention (RNC) — as a show of strength, they should view it the same way if Biden were to make a quick recovery after announcing hours earlier that he had COVID. WATCH: Joy Reid and Jen Psaki just claimed that Biden having COVID is “exactly the same” as Trump surviving an assassination attempt and should be lauded the same way. No, I’m not kidding. pic.twitter.com/oYhEhu4Y3h — Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) July 17, 2024 “Here’s the question that I have on that,” Reid told former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. “These two men are both elderly. Donald Trump is an elderly man who for whatever reason was given nine seconds to take a … iconic photo op during an active shooter situation — weird situation, we’ll figure that out one day.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “But his survival of that, and bouncing right back and going right to his convention is being conveyed in the media world as a sign of strength,” Reid continued. “This — current President of the United States is 81 years old and has COVID. Should he be fine in a couple of days, doesn’t that convey exactly the same thing? That he’s strong enough — older than Trump — to have gotten something that used to really be fatal to people his age. So if he does fine out of it and comes back and he rallies, isn’t that exactly the same?” “It should,” Psaki agreed. “It should.” Biden after “beating COVID” pic.twitter.com/THGy8tUcSv — The Right To Bear Memes (@grandoldmemes) July 17, 2024

Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro broke down the history of the Republican National Convention in the latest episode of “Facts,” explaining why the convention still mattered today even though it has changed over the years. The episode, posted Wednesday as the 2024 RNC takes place in Milwaukee, delves deep into the history of the RNC, highlighting some of the most contentious and interesting conventions from the first one in 1856 to the 2016 convention when Donald Trump was nominated. “In order to understand the way the Republican Party works today, it’s important to understand how the RNC worked historically and how that has changed,” Shapiro says in the episode. “That story is the story of the evolution of power from elites inside the Republican Party to broader swaths of the Republican primary electorate.” The RNC was first established in 1856 and was designed to help the young Republican Party achieve its electoral ambitions. The organization’s first national convention was held in Philadelphia, where delegates chose John C. Fremont to be its nominee. “Initially, the RNC served as a critical decision-making body where party leaders and delegates from across the country would gather to debate and decide on key issues, including the nomination of presidential and vice presidential candidates,” Shapiro explains in the video. At the RNC’s second meeting in 1860, the party nominated Abraham Lincoln and solidified the party’s commitment to the abolition of slavery and the principles of equality and liberty. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP In the episode, Shapiro discussed several other RNCs, like the 1912 convention in Chicago where former President Teddy Roosevelt clashed with incumbent President William Taft for the nomination (Taft eventually prevailed). At the 1952 RNC, World War II hero Dwight Eisenhower was able to secure the nomination despite Senator Robert Taft having more delegates going in, after Eisenhower’s team portrayed Taft as a political insider. Eventually, the power to choose the nominee shifted more to states through primaries and caucuses. “While the advent of modern primaries and caucuses has shifted much of the decision-making power away from the convention floor and directly into the hands of voters throughout the primary season, the convention remains an essential event for the Republican Party,” Shapiro explains. “It fulfills several vital functions. First, it nominates candidates. The primary purpose of the convention is to officially nominate the party’s candidates for president and vice president.” Shapiro concludes by explaining that the RNC is still a “pivotal moment” because it helps set the tone for the election cycle and helps to mobilize the party’s base. WATCH:

Thomas Rhett’s wife, Lauren Akins, revealed that her marriage wasn’t always as picture-perfect as it’s looked. Thomas and Lauren have been part of each other’s lives since they were teenagers. The two dated when they were 15, but “it didn’t work out,” as many young relationships don’t. Despite breaking up, they “remained best friends.” When they were 20, they had “a total Ryan Gosling moment” that sealed the deal forever. “I’d loved that girl since high school, and I told her father how I felt,” Thomas told Hits Daily Double in 2019. “He said, ‘If you don’t tell her, I’m going to’… I said to her, ‘I just want to kiss you one time. If you don’t feel anything, we can go back to being friends.’ “ Seven months later, Thomas asked Lauren to be his wife, and another ten months later, they said, “I do.” Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins enjoyed their newlywed phase for four years before deciding to expand their family after Lauren met her now-daughter, Willa Gray, during a mission trip in Uganda.  In a short film titled Lauren Akins – This Wasn’t The Plan, Lauren shared that her path to motherhood was tough and drove a wedge between her and her husband. Thomas Rhett And His Wife Embarked On A Two-Day “Intensive Counseling Session” With Thomas Rhett on tour, Lauren worked through an “intense” 13-month adoption process alone. During that time, she learned she was pregnant with their daughter Ada, which came as a complete surprise. “I was getting sick and throwing up like 50-something times a day,” she said. “The whole time, I was missing my husband. I started to resent him a little bit because he was back in America touring.” Fortunately, Lauren’s parents stepped in and helped bring their new granddaughter home. But Lauren had no time to adjust to her new life. Three months “to the day” that Willa “came home,” Lauren went into labor with Ada. “It kinda felt like we went from zero to two pretty quick as parents,” she continued. The couple and their two children went on the road to join Thomas on tour. And Lauren began to struggle when all the responsibilities landed on her.  “His life went on, and I feel like mine stopped. I felt like we weren’t doing it together anymore,” she recalled. “I feel like there was a lot of miscommunication. There was a lot of resentment I was holding on to even through the adoption and after. I just hit a breaking point. I didn’t like him and I resented him.” After a blowout fight where Lauren told Thomas she hated him, they knew they had to save their marriage. So Lauren and Rhett went into a two-and-a-half-day “intensive counseling session” and got “everything” off their chests. “Some of it was really hard to hear from each other,” she added. “So we really just did a restart. That was when I felt like our marriage really took off.” Thomas Rhett and Lauren were able to fall in love again, and they went on to welcome two more daughters, Lennon Love and Lillie Carolina. This story’s featured image is by Ethan Miller/Getty Images. The post Thomas Rhett’s Wife Lauren Reveals How They Saved Their Marriage After “Resentment” Set In appeared first on InspireMore.

'Deeply disappointed by the jury’s decision'

The umpire's best resolution for swearing was ... violence

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Delegates were in high spirits Wednesday night about nominee Donald Trump’s prospects in the Nov. 5 election as they gathered for the third night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The night’s most anticipated speech probably was the one to be delivered by Trump’s pick for vice president, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. Trump announced his choice of Vance on Monday, the first day of the GOP convention. Convention delegates formally nominated both Trump and Vance on Monday night. Trump, who has attended part of each night’s events, is scheduled to deliver his acceptance speech Thursday night. Other speakers scheduled Wednesday night included the 45th president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia; and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who last year led a successful GOP effort to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. The convention’s Milwaukee location is significant for two big reasons: Wisconsin is a key battleground state where Trump and President Joe Biden, his Democratic opponent, have been neck-and-neck in polls. And the Republican Party was founded in 1854 in Ripon, Wisconsin, about 90 minutes from Milwaukee. This regularly updated report spotlights some key moments from the third night of the GOP convention. Jackson: Trump ‘Took a Bullet for Our Country’ Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas, a Navy doctor who served 14 years as White House physician, including for Trump, made a strong comparison between Biden and former presidents.  “Now I can say I served a president who literally took a bullet for our country,” Jackson said, prompting strong applause. “I have never been prouder of his leadership than I was last Saturday.” “His warrior spirit and his display of will to keep fighting for our country, even after getting shot down, will go down as an all-time moment in American history,” the Texas Republican told delegates. Jackson contrasted Trump with Biden, who many Americans—including Democrats—say they fear isn’t up to the job, based on his poor debate performance June 27 with Trump as well as his public appearances and news interviews since the debate on CNN. Jackson’s remarks likely were drafted hours before the White House announced Wednesday evening that Biden had canceled campaign stops because he had tested positive again for COVID-19 in Las Vegas. The president returned to his home in Delaware for a “long weekend,” The Associated Press reported just before 6:30 p.m. Navarro: ‘I Went to Prison So You Won’t’ “I went to prison so you won’t have to,” Peter Navarro, a lawyer and former White House aide who advised Trump on trade, told the crowd inside Fiserv Forum. “I am your wake-up call,” Navarro added.  Earlier Wednesday, Navarro was released from a federal prison in Miami, where he did time after being convicted of contempt of Congress for declining to testify to Democrats’ House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack on the Capitol.  “If they come for me, if they come for Donald Trump, be careful, they will come after you,” Navarro said.  He called the House select committee a “sham” committee that demanded he violate the law by divulging conversations with Trump despite his executive privilege.  “The J6 committee demanded that I betray Donald J. Trump to save my own skin. I refused,” Navarro said.  After a partisan congressional committee and a Democrat majority in the House found him in contempt, he said, a Democrat-run Justice Department—what he called the “Department of Injustice”—prosecuted him.  Prosecutions for contempt of Congress are rare. In one example, the Justice Department recently opted not to prosecute Attorney General Merrick Garland for contempt of Congress, although he refused to produce an audio recording of Biden’s interview with a special counsel about his possession of classified documents.  Gaetz: ‘They Can Run Biden From the Nursing Home’ Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., asserted that the president Americans saw at the June debate, and which the media finally noticed, is the same Biden who has been in the White House for years.  “Democrats have been hiding the real Biden for years,” Gaetz said. “We saw people in the witness protection program more often than we saw unscripted Biden.” “They can run Biden from the nursing home, [Kamala] Harris, George Clooney, Robert De Niro, whoever they want to run,” he said. “We are on a mission to rescue and save this country, and we ride or die with Donald John Trump to the end.” In talking about inflation, Gaetz joked about Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., who was convicted Tuesday on bribery charges involving foreign entities.  “Under Biden-Harris, inflation has gotten so bad you can no longer bribe Democrat senators with cash alone,” he said. “You have to use gold bars just so the bribes hold value.” Gingrich Accuses Biden of ‘Make-America-Weak Ideology’  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia contrasted Trump and Biden’s foreign policies and the results. “Under Trump, we achieved peace through strength,” Gingrich said. “Under Biden, we have war, suffering, death, and a world teetering on the edge of World War III.” The former House speaker criticized Biden for the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan as well as weakness in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.  “The contrast between President Trump’s realistic policy of resolute strength in a dangerous world, and President Biden’s policies of appeasement, weakness, and self-delusion may be the biggest difference between the Make America Great Again movement and the Make-America-Weak ideology of the Left,” Gingrich said. Abbott: ‘I Took the Border to Them’ Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said that when the Biden administration took 50 acres of land along the U.S.-Mexico border to process 5,000 illegal aliens a day, he directed the National Guard “to take back our land and wire it shut.” Abbott said there are no longer 5,000 migrants per day trying to enter Texas. “Now that the National Guard has wired that shut, on average, there is one illegal immigrant crossing the border at that location a day,” Abbott said.  The Republican governor said that when Biden administration officials refused to come to Texas to see the state of the southern border, “I took the border to them.” “I began busing illegal immigrants to Washington, D.C.,” Abbott said to a rousing ovation. “We have continued busing migrants to sanctuary cities across the entire country. Those buses will continue to roll until we secure our border.” This is a developing news story and will be updated throughout the night, so check back. The post Takeaways From Night 3 of Republican National Convention appeared first on The Daily Signal.