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Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Tuesday, seeking records related to security measures for the July 13, 2024, rally in Butler, where an assassination attempt was made on President Donald Trump.
The lawsuit follows the DHS’s failure to respond to a July 15, 2024, FOIA request for records concerning security support or manpower provided for the event.
Judicial Watch specifically requested documents from Homeland Security Investigations, which was reportedly involved in securing the event.
The assassination attempt occurred when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to attack President Trump during the campaign rally. In response, former DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas appointed a bipartisan panel to conduct a 45-day independent review of the security planning and actions taken before, during, and after the rally.
“Federal agencies need to come clean on the events that led up to the assassination attempts on President Trump,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton in a statement to RSBN. “It is now eight months since the first attempt, and the American people have yet to receive any answers under FOIA on the failures of the Biden administration to protect President Trump.”
In August, Judicial Watch obtained Secret Service records revealing that the agency prioritized ensuring “diversity and inclusion is not just ‘talked about’ – but demonstrated by all employees through ‘Every Action, Every Day.’” The organization also uncovered records from the Butler County District Attorney’s Office detailing extensive local police preparations for the rally where former President Trump was shot. These preparations included sniper teams, counter-assault teams and a quick response force.
Through a separate open records request, Judicial Watch obtained bodycam footage from the Butler Township Police Department capturing the events of the July 13 assassination attempt.
Judicial Watch also reported that the FBI withheld information in response to a FOIA request regarding its coordination with the U.S. Secret Service for the July 13 rally. On July 31, Judicial Watch announced that the U Secret Service had fully denied multiple FOIA requests for documents related to the assassination attempt on former President Trump.
