Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve got some truly shocking developments regarding the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Rep. Clay Higgins, a Republican from Louisiana and a member of Congress’ bipartisan task force, has revealed that the body of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old shooter, has mysteriously “gone” after being released for cremation by the FBI—without the knowledge of local authorities.
This revelation came after Higgins attempted to view Crooks’ body on August 5 during a personal inspection related to his investigation of the incident. According to Higgins, his request to see the body “caused quite a stir” and led to the disturbing discovery that the FBI had already released the body to Crooks’ family just ten days after the July 13 shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Now, here’s where things get really concerning. Higgins claims that neither the county coroner nor local law enforcement were informed that the body had been returned to the family. In fact, the coroner still had legal authority over the body when the FBI made the decision to release it. Higgins is accusing the FBI of obstructing the investigation by allowing the cremation to proceed, thereby preventing any further examination of Crooks’ remains.
This report from Higgins, which was submitted to Task Force Chairman Mike Kelly on August 12 and made public last night, raises serious questions about the FBI’s handling of this case. Higgins points out that by releasing Crooks’ body without oversight, the accuracy of the coroner’s and autopsy reports can no longer be verified independently. “We will actually never know,” Higgins writes, expressing frustration that any future investigative efforts are now hindered by this action.
Higgins’ report comes in the wake of one of the most significant security failures in American history, where Trump narrowly escaped with his life and a rally attendee tragically lost theirs. The fallout from this event has already led to the resignation of Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle on July 23, but the investigation into what went wrong that day is far from over.
Adding to the controversy, Higgins noted that the decision to cremate Crooks’ body occurred on the same day that both the Homeland Security Committee and the Oversight Committee launched their own investigations into the assassination attempt. This timing, coupled with the FBI’s actions, has led Higgins to describe the agency’s conduct as part of a “scorched earth” strategy to obstruct further investigations.
In a statement following the release of his report, Higgins reaffirmed his commitment to uncovering the full truth. “Every question will be answered, every theory explored, and every doubt erased,” he said, emphasizing that the American people deserve complete transparency on the events surrounding the attempted assassination of President Trump.
For those unfamiliar with Rep. Higgins, he’s a former police officer who was elected to Congress in 2016. He’s known for his outspoken views and has previously suggested that the violence at the Capitol on January 6 was instigated by FBI operatives. He’s also associated with groups like the Three Percenters and the Oath Keepers, which have brought him both support and scrutiny.
Higgins is one of seven Republican members of the bipartisan task force investigating the Trump assassination attempt. The group, consisting of 13 members in total, is tasked with determining what went wrong that day and making recommendations to prevent future security failures. They are expected to issue a final report by December 13.
