Latest news with #Crooks
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wanted: Democrat to run for Congress in the Eighth
The Democratic Party is seeking a qualified, viable candidate to run in next year's Indiana 8th District Congressional race. And yes, it's an uphill battle in a heavily Republican-dominated region. "We are trying to find the most qualified, most appealing candidate — someone who has been a face in the district and has a track record they can run on. They've got the time, the focus, the energy," said Dave Crooks, chairman of the 8th District Democratic Party. And, it will take a lot of money. Crooks has reached out to media outlets in an effort to seek that candidate. Much of that candidate's time would be spent raising money for a campaign. It's important the candidate has availability during the day to talk to donors and potential donors, Crooks said. "You have to give it every hour you can every day," he said. The 8th District includes 21 southwestern Indiana counties and sprawls from the Ohio River to Interstate 74 in Fountain County. It's solidly Republican — one of the most Republican congressional districts in the nation, according to the Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index, as reported by the Evansville Courier & Press. Sixty-five percent of 8th District voters backed Donald Trump for president, compared to 33% for Joe Biden, in 2020, when Trump lost the presidency by 7 million votes nationwide. In the 2024 8th District race, Republican Mark Messmer won with 68% of the vote, while Democrat Erik Hurt had 29.5%. Richard Fitzlaff, Libertarian, had 2.6%. Messmer won the seat previously held by seven-term Congressman and Republican Larry Bucshon, who decided not to seek re-election. "It's a tough district, there's no question," Crooks said. It's the largest geographic district in Indiana and has about 750,000 people. A candidate may need to generate millions in campaign funds to compete in the Evansville and Terre Haute media markets, the Courier & Press reported. Mass communication is critical, Crooks said, and that takes fundraising. Crooks does believe that as a first-term congressman, Messmer is vulnerable. A Democrat winning the seat may be possible if enough voters have concerns about Republican budget and policy decisions, both at the state and federal level. "I think the Republicans will be in trouble next year" when people, especially lower income, feel the results of federal and state budgets cuts, fewer services, and federally-imposed tariffs, Crooks said. People "are not seeing relief in prices for the most part; these tariffs are basically a tax on the consumer," he said. The last time a Democrat was elected as the 8th District congressman was in 2006 and 2008, when former Vanderburgh County Sheriff Brad Ellsworth won the seat by margins of 61% and 65%. Looking toward the 2026 election, while one individual has filed as a Democrat, Crooks said he wasn't sure the individual would qualify to run as a Democrat in the district. That individual is Rosedale resident Daniel George, who has filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. The Tribune-Star has attempted to contact George. Potential candidates must be able to show they voted in two consecutive Democratic primaries, Crooks said. To be elected, a representative must be at least 25 years old, a United States citizen for at least seven years and an inhabitant of the state he or she represents. For those Democrats interested in running in the 8th district race, Crooks can be contacted by email at Indems8chair@ Matt Bergbower, Indiana State University professor of political science, believes Democrats ought to have a good year nationwide in 2026. "Traditionally, the party in power at the White House loses seats in mid term elections," Bergbower said. Also, President Donald Trump's agenda "is not overwhelmingly seeing approval." That being said, "The 8th district will be tough to win for a Democrat," according to Bergbower. Democrats should put forward a candidate who is serious and try to win the seat, he said. The 2026 general election is 17 months away and "you never know what could happen," Bergbower said. But in counties that make up the 8th district, the numbers don't seem like they could add up to a Democratic victory right now, Bergbower said.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Oklahoma beats North Carolina in NCAA Tournament to set up winner-take-all game Monday
Oklahoma beats North Carolina in NCAA Tournament to set up winner-take-all game Monday The winner will take all, after all. The Oklahoma baseball team staved off elimination in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, beating No. 5 national seed North Carolina, 9-5, to force a winner-take-all contest on Monday. The Sooners bounced back after losing to North Carolina on Saturday in a game that sent OU into the loser's bracket. Oklahoma rolled over Nebraska earlier Sunday to set up the night's rematch. North Carolina loaded the bases with zero outs in the eighth, trailing 8-5, when Oklahoma coach Skip Johnson. But Oklahoma closer Dylan Crooks retired three straight to keep the Sooners' three-run lead going into the ninth. There, Crooks sat down the Tar Heels lineup 1-2-3 to seal Oklahoma's win. OU won largely on the back of a five-run sixth inning. The Sooners trailed 3-2 entering the bottom of the frame, but batted around to take the lead. Drew Dickerson started things with a two-run home run after Dasan Harris began the inning with a single. Five batters later, after two outs, an error and a single back to the pitcher, Jaxon Willits extended Oklahoma's lead with a two-run double. Two batters after that, Kyle Branch knocked him in with a single to set up the late-innings showdown. After Crooks kept OU's lead at three in the eighth, Harris added a solo homer to make it four in the bottom of the inning. He put a charge into the first pitch he saw and took it over the right field fence, to give Oklahoma even more breathing room. The Sooners' bats kept the same intensity they had earlier in the day in a 17-1 win over Nebraska. The Sooners collected 11 hits and drew nine walks against the Tar Heels to advance, making the 12 runners left on-base moot. Crooks picked up the six-out save by allowing retiring six of the seven batters he faced. Harris reached four times with two walks and two hits, while Willits and Dawson each reached three times with a walk and two hits apiece.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shocking! Trump rally shooter Thomas Crooks was designing bomb, tried to buy gallons of chemicals
Chilling new details have come to light nearly a year after Thomas Crooks attempted to assassinate the then-presidential candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally. A new report by CBS suggests that the 20-year-old had far more dangerous intentions than previously understood. According to a the investigation, Crooks attempted to purchase more than two gallons of nitromethane, a volatile chemical commonly used in fuel and explosives. The purchase, made through an encrypted email account from an online retailer called Hyperfuels, would have allowed Crooks to build a device powerful enough to bring down a small building, depending on how it was used, The Western Journal quoted. When he did not receive the order even after twelve days after placing it, Crooks followed up via email using his community college address. He asked, 'Hello, my name is Thomas. I placed an order on your website on January 19. I have not received any updates of the order shipping out yet and I was wondering if you still have it and when I can expect it to come.' The use of his school email, according to CBS, was one of the few steps that left a digital trail, granting authorities a rare look into the dual life of a student who appeared to be a promising engineering applicant while secretly preparing for violence. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo CBS News described the contrast in his emails, a young man busily gathering transcripts and refining personal statements for university transfer applications, on the other hand, simultaneously researching explosives and planning a deadly attack. Crooks opened fire at Trump during a packed rally on 13 July 2024, grazing the candidate's ear and killing a rallygoer. While much has been written about the Secret Service's response and Crooks' academic achievements, including a 1530 SAT score, his efforts to acquire bomb-making materials had gone largely unreported until now. Legal experts say the new revelations raise serious questions about the depth of the ongoing investigation. 'I think it raises a lot of important questions. Were they investigating anyone else? Are they still investigating?' said Wally Zimolong, a lawyer who obtained Crooks' records on behalf of the conservative group America First Legal. 'Were they investigating anyone else? Are they still investigating?' 'A year later we still don't know enough.' Nitromethane alone is dangerous, but when combined with other readily available ingredients such as ammonium nitrate, the result can be catastrophic. Experts noted that a combination like this was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Despite the alarming nature of Crooks' actions, many critics argue that the media has failed to give the story the sustained attention it warrants. As the first serious attempt on a US presidential candidate's life since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981, Crooks case remains one of the most troubling and under-scrutinised political events in recent American history.
International Business Times
24-05-2025
- Politics
- International Business Times
Thomas Matthew Crooks: Chilling New Emails Reveal Gunman Who Tried to Assassinate Trump at Pennsylvania Was Making a Bomb
Chilling new emails reveal that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who tried to assassinate President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally, was also working on building a bomb. Crooks, 20, shot dead one person, wounded two others, and grazed the then-Republican presidential candidate's ear during the attack in Butler on July 13, 2024. The ongoing FBI investigation into Crooks—whom senior officials have confirmed was not tied to any foreign conspiracy—has shed further light on the would-be assassin's plans and preparations. At the time of his failed attempt to assassinate Trump, Crooks was in the process of applying for a four-year engineering program while enrolled at a community college. Dangerous Plans of a Would-Be Assassin Meanwhile, he used an encrypted email account to purchase more than two gallons of nitromethane from a company called Hyperfuels. Twelve days after placing the order, Crooks sent a follow-up message asking about the delay. "Hello, my name is Thomas. I placed an order on your website on January 19. "I have not received any updates of the order shipping out yet and I was wondering if you still have it and when I can expect it to come," he wrote on January 31 at 7.44am. Federal investigators were able to access the email because it was sent from an account tied to the Community College of Allegheny County, where he was a student. Much attention has been given to Crooks' political views, especially since he was reportedly a registered Republican who had also made a donation to Joe Biden. The emails reveal a young man highly critical of the federal government, including one essay, where he blamed NASA for the 1986 Challenger explosion, and in another, he praised a George Orwell piece warning against imperialism. Trump is mentioned only once in the documents in an essay that supports nuclear energy and criticizes Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal during his first term. Crooks also briefly mentioned Biden while analyzing a 2021 Washington Post op-ed that opposed the then-president's proposal to offer free community college tuition. Bigger Massacre Avoided Wally Zimolong, who obtained the records on behalf of America First Legal, an organization led by Trump adviser Stephen Miller, said, "A year later, we still don't know enough" about Crooks. "I think it raises a lot of important questions. Were they investigating anyone else? Are they still investigating?" Zimolong asked. Of the hundreds of emails reviewed from Crooks' college account, few provide insight into the shooting itself, but they do offer a glimpse into his everyday life. In one message, he wrote to a professor asking if it would be acceptable to bring only two or three adults to a presentation that originally required him to bring five. "I do not have access to any other adults" besides his parents and his sister, he wrote. Overall, Crooks is portrayed as an A-level student who expressed his fondness for the fall season and stayed in regular contact with his professors. "It's sad that he had so much promise and he chose to do this. It's just very difficult to understand where it came from," Patricia Thompson, one of his professors, said. On the day of the rally, Crooks positioned himself on a nearby rooftop just a few hundred feet from where Trump was speaking, armed with an AR-15 rifle and hid in a crouched stance. From a distance of less than 150 yards, he managed to fire eight shots in Trump's direction, one of which struck the former president in the right ear.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Emails shed new light on Trump rally shooter Thomas Crooks
Thomas Matthew Crooks had a lot on his mind in January 2024. The 20-year-old who, six months later, would open fire at President Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally — striking his ear and killing an audience member — was busy polishing his applications to transfer from community college to a four-year engineering program. Crooks was gathering transcripts and asking friends to review his personal statement. He was also designing a bomb. He ordered more than two gallons of nitromethane from an online speciality fuel retailer using an encrypted email account, documents obtained by CBS News show. Twelve days later Crooks' purchase hadn't shipped and he wanted to know why. "Hello, my name is Thomas. I placed an order on your website on January 19. I have not received any updates of the order shipping out yet and I was wondering if you still have it and when I can expect it to come," Crooks emailed the retailer, Hyperfuels, at 7:44 a.m. on Jan. 31, 2024. Crooks used his community college email account to inquire about shipping, one of the few operational missteps that has allowed for a rare look into the dark side of this ambitious young student. Two weeks after the nitromethane email, on Feb. 13, 2024, Crooks' focus returned to his academic future, planning a video call he labeled, "Proofread my Pitt personal essay with friends prior to class." A student who went "above and beyond" Very little is known about how or why Thomas Crooks set out to shoot then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. Now, emails, essays and other documents reviewed by CBS News are offering a fresh glimpse into the mind of a young man who was simultaneously planning two irreconcilable futures. In one, Crooks continues his engineering studies, for which he was lauded by professors for his work ethic, progress and class contributions. In the other, he hurtles toward an act that he must have known would end in either prison or — as it did on July 13, 2024 — his death. He was a meticulous and motivated student, attending community college after scoring 1530 on the SATs, records show. He told an adviser he was starting at the school to save money before transferring. In the hundreds of college emails obtained by CBS News, Crooks rarely veers into personal territory, with a few exceptions. When an upcoming assignment required the presence of five adults, he asked the professor if it would be OK if he only brought two or three. Crooks said that other than his sister and parents, he did "not have access to any other adults." Crooks wrote a passage for school on why his favorite season is fall on Jan. 30, the day before he contacted Hyperfuels. The passage, penned in various colors, mused on his love for football and his two favorite holidays, Halloween and Thanksgiving. He waxed poetic about the fall weather and asked, "who doesn't love the changing color of the leaves?" Crooks took his classwork seriously, routinely contacting professors to protest if he wasn't satisfied with his grades. After taking a math exam in which he errantly mislabeled a variable, Crooks asked if he could get the point back. The teacher agreed to give him 75% credit for the question. "Sounds good," Crooks replied. "That should be enough to get me an A." Crooks did A-level work in most of his courses, according to his transcript. Emails show professors were often impressed by his dedication. "Thanks again for your contribution to the class this term — wouldn't've been the same without you!" wrote an English professor in December 2022. One project in particular wowed professors in the engineering department. Crooks, whose mother is visually impaired, designed and 3D-printed a unique chessboard. The prototype included Braille labeling along the rows and columns, and alternating "raised squares with peg-holes to prevent the pieces from being knocked over," as Crooks described it. Former engineering professor Todd Landree recalls the small department's staff marveling at the project. "It was above and beyond what anybody expected," Landree said. Patricia Thompson, who taught the class, said she still thinks about Crooks' project. She also described it as "above and beyond" expectations. "It's sad that he had so much promise and he chose to do this. It's just very difficult to understand where it came from," Thompson said. A skeptic of government's "lofty promises" Crooks was focused on engineering and computing while at the community college, but a handful of written assignments show hints of a deep skepticism of the federal government and corporations. A prompt asking students to consider whether engineers involved in NASA's 1986 Challenger disaster acted ethically yielded a dubious reply. Crooks blamed NASA's administrators, who in pushing for the ill-fated launch "were trying to live up to the lofty promises they made to Congress which they were never going to be able to fulfill," he wrote. For a 2022 English assignment, Crooks wrote about George Orwell's essay, "Shooting an Elephant." Crooks called the essay "a powerful allegory warning against adopting imperialistic policies." "The writing maintains its significance as the themes in it apply to every form of tyrannical government many of which still exist today, and continue to send young men, much like Orwell, to carry out the 'dirty work of Empire,'" Crooks wrote. Crooks wrote about Mr. Trump at least once. The essay was called "Why Nuclear Energy is the Key to a Cleaner Future," and Crooks briefly touched on the proliferation of nuclear weapons, criticizing a decision Mr. Trump made during his first term. "To prevent hostile nations from acquiring nuclear technology, America and its allies can stop sales of the technology to those nations and can enter into mutually beneficial agreements like the Iran deal, which effectively halted that nations (sic) nuclear program until President Trump withdrew from it," Crooks wrote. His writing also, at least once, focused in part on then-President Biden. Crooks reviewed a 2021 opinion column that ran in The Washington Post, concluding that it persuasively argued against Mr. Biden's support for tuition-free community college. "Liberals also tend to be in favor of free community college and, in fact, free college in general," Crooks wrote. "So it is very interesting to see an author try to convince the other side using their pre-exisiting (sic) political concerns rather than trying to impress their own on to them" While Crooks showed an advanced ability to reason and persuade, he often struggled with spelling and grammar errors. Several essays and work assignments were returned to him asking him to make corrections to his work. A grand jury with a dead suspect The nitromethane purchase invoice lists a separate email account from a Belgium-based service that offers end-to-end encryption. FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek told reporters in August that Crooks had researched "nitromethane, and other materials consistent with the manufacturing of explosive devices." Rojek indicated agents accessed multiple overseas-based encrypted email accounts used by Crooks, who did not use explosives during his attack. A Hyperfuels employee, asked about Crooks' purchase last year, said the company was "aware of the whole situation." The company's president did not respond to phone or text messages. Crooks' transcript and certain other academic records were first made public by America First Legal, a nonprofit founded by Stephen Miller, a longtime aide to Mr. Trump who is now White House deputy chief of staff. Pennsylvania lawyer Wally Zimolong pursued the records on America First Legal's behalf, winning an open records fight that paved the way for their release last year. Among his discoveries was the little-known federal grand jury that subpoenaed the community college and received Crooks' emails and essays. Zimolong provided CBS News with records related to the grand jury's subpoena and Crooks' transcripts. A letter from a Justice Department official to the college on July 24, 2024, confirmed the subpoena related to "an active FBI criminal investigation." Federal grand juries are typically empaneled to determine probable cause to indict a person for a crime, but Crooks — the only known suspect — had been dead for 11 days at that point. "I think it raises a lot of important questions. Were they investigating anyone else? Are they still investigating?" Zimolong asked. He said it adds to the mystery surrounding the young man who seemed determined to continue with college until the day he climbed onto the roof of a building in Butler, Pennsylvania, and began firing. "A year later we still don't know enough," Zimolong said. Here's how much Qatar's plane gifted to Trump administration will cost to retrofit Biggest takeaways from RFK Jr.'s MAHA report Loved ones remember Israeli Embassy employees killed in Washington D.C.
