Congressman and former Navy SEAL Sniper Eli Crane (R-AZ) visited the rooftop perch of attempted presidential assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks with his team on Monday and shared footage of his professional assessment. Crane’s perspective carries particular weight given his five combat deployments during his 13-year military career.
Crane wrote, “I’m on the roof of the building in Butler, PA, where shots were fired in an attempt to assassinate President Trump. As a former Navy SEAL sniper, it was clear to me that many security measures were dropped making Pres. Trump extremely vulnerable. Many questions still remain.”
According to Crane’s congressional website, the congressman was a post-9/11 enlistee in the U.S. Navy from Arizona, who worked his way up to the Naval Special Warfare Command, joining SEAL Team 3 based out of Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in California. Three of his wartime deployments were to Iraq. He was a SEAL for nine of his thirteen years in uniform.
I’m on the roof of the building in Butler, PA where shots were fired in an attempt to assassinate President Trump.
As a former Navy SEAL sniper, it was clear to me that many security measures were dropped making Pres. Trump extremely vulnerable.
The first video at just over a minute long presents Crane’s damning assessment of the tactical realities at the site of the attempted assassination, that directly conflicts with the narrative being presented by Director Kimberly Cheatle of the United States Secret Service.
He explained, “All right guys, I’m up here on the building where the supposed sniper took his shot. It’s not that steep at all. We just had a 70-year-old man back here climb up on the roof easily.”
Cheatle drew wide criticism when she justified the lack of Secret Service presence on the rooftop to ABC News saying, “That building in particular has a sloped roof at its highest point. And so, you know, there’s a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn’t want to put somebody up on a sloped roof.” She added, “And so, you know, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside.”
Crane noted that, if snipers were posted on a nearby water tower overlooking the building and the entire venue, “This guy wouldn’t have made it 5 feet up this roof. He would’ve been taken out.”
The Congressman also noted second floor windows in an adjacent building where Secret Service were “supposedly in the second floor of this building behind.” He added that it, “makes you wonder why they weren’t able to quickly dispatch the individual.”
In a subsequent post to X, Crane presented the vantage point from the second-floor windows that the Secret Service had access to. He wrote, “This video was taken from one of the windows the Secret Service had access to, overlooking the entire roof. As you can see, they had complete coverage. Makes you wonder how on earth they allowed the shooter to access the roof, let alone crawl up it & fire several shots.”
This video was taken from one of the windows the Secret Service had access to, overlooking the entire roof.
As you can see, they had complete coverage.
Makes you wonder how on earth they allowed the shooter to access the roof, let alone crawl up it & fire several shots. pic.twitter.com/C1GTUAuPEa
Crane’s assessment seemed to concur with that of Gene Petrino, a former SWAT commander for Florida’s Plantation Police Department, who questioned in an interview with Fox News why snipers were not stationed at the water tower that “would have had a vantage point of all the roofs,” and called out “the audacity for her to say that there was an issue with the sloped roof when her men were already on a sloped roof.”
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is testifying in front of the House Oversight Committee Monday. During these proceedings Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) has accused Cheatle of perjuring herself and stonewalling members of the Committee, according to Fox News. Crane has a seat on the House Homeland Security Committee and the Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability.
“I will say this. It is very frustrating. And I’ve talked to my colleagues, and we’ve said it to your face that you have been up here basically stonewalling our ability to get the answers to the American people. And what I will also say is that every single member of Congress does not feel safe with you in charge. You have heard that. And I think that we are all sitting ducks with you and directing the Secret Service currently,” Luna said.
She then issued a formal request for Cheatle’s resignation: “But more importantly, it sends a message to our adversaries that we are not protected, and we are one of the strongest countries in the world. So, you have essentially made us a less safe country because of it. As a result of that, I’m asking you to formally step down.”
The Hispanic Vote Coalition is seeking to drive voter registration in Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado with a series of upcoming pastor events and a Bless the Ballot campaign according to a press release obtained by AZ Free News.
The coalition explained that the Bless the Ballot Campaign was launched this past week with Hispanic, Christian pastors in several battleground states where the group has assessed that the Hispanic vote will decide the outcome of the 2024 election.
The press release explained, “The coalition, launched in April by Hispanic-led organizations — Job Creators Network, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and Bienvenido — is engaging, informing, and encouraging Hispanic voters to harness their immense power by registering them and getting them out to vote for the values they believe in — faith, family, and freedom.”
Hispanic Vote Coalition Launches Bless the Ballot Campaign and Hosts Pastor Events in Arizona, Nevada, and Colorado
This week, the Hispanic Vote Coalition launched its Bless the Ballot Campaign in conjunction with leading Christian and Hispanic pastors in battleground states…
— Job Creators Network (@JobCreatorsUSA) July 16, 2024
Mary Thomas, Executive Director of the Hispanic Vote Coalition, said in a statement, “Hispanics and Christians can no longer sit on the sidelines, while our values are being attacked. We are engaged in a spiritual battle, and the faith and Hispanic community must not be intimidated. We must rise up and exercise our duty as Christians and Americans to vote for biblical values. By working with our network of 42,000 Christian pastors, the Hispanic Vote Coalition is helping as many Christians and Hispanics as possible fulfill their moral responsibility to vote their values and help determine the outcome of the election.”
According to a Pew Research study, approximately 31% of Latinos in Arizona are either registered or lean Republican. Gallup in 2022 showed that Democrat support among Latinos had hemorrhaged four-points on a national level from 32% to 28% since 2020. In April 2024 an APP/OnMessage poll reported by Newsweek indicated that a “seismic realignment is happening with Hispanic voters across the country,” and added, “If Hispanic voters split in either Arizona or Nevada, Trump will win the state. That’s a near statistical certainty.”
The Hispanic Vote Coalition had an amazing day at the @nhclc’s pastors’ meeting. We discussed how to empower Hispanic Christians to make a difference in their communities & the importance of engaging Hispanic voters through a Biblical lens. Thank you, @nhclc! pic.twitter.com/KwAKuNKcXw
— Hispanic Vote Coalition (@HispanicVoteCo) July 16, 2024
“The Hispanic and Latino evangelical community is staying silent no more,” Pastor Robert Albino, Jr., National Chapter Director of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference said. “Across the country, there is a civic awakening that is a result of dangerous, anti-Christian policies that are being pushed on our schools and businesses and posing a grave threat to economic opportunities that make our communities and families strong. The Hispanic Vote Coalition is dedicated to equipping, educating and engaging our community with one resounding message that is clear and direct: Hispanic evangelicals are not committed to the agenda of the donkey or the elephant, we will vote our Christian values and advance candidates that represent and defend the agenda of the Lamb.”
The coalition’s move is happening in the context of an increased outreach from the Arizona GOP to Latino voters which saw the AZGOP launch a Spanish-Language ad that aired during the 2024 Copa América Tournament which concluded July 15th in Miami.
The ad featured West Valley Republican State Rep. Steve Montenegro with AZGOP Chairwoman Gina Swoboda and runs at 30 seconds featuring the Arizona legislator explaining in Spanish:
“In Arizona, we face several challenges. High prices for food, gasoline, and even for a family home. High crime in our neighborhoods. Protecting family rights in deciding what is the best education for their children. We can do things better. The Arizona Republican Party is committed to protecting the American Dream. Together we can do it. We will achieve a better economy for our families here in Arizona.”
🚨 NEW AD: @AZGOP is hitting the airwaves during the 2024 @CopaAmerica_ENG with a Spanish-language ad! 📺🇺🇸
We’re committed to lowering the cost of living, empowering parents with education freedom, and making homeownership affordable for all Arizonans. pic.twitter.com/A6HXifHdR4
— Republican Party of Arizona (@AZGOP) June 22, 2024
The AZGOP shared the ad in a post to X with the comment, “We’re committed to lowering the cost of living, empowering parents with education freedom, and making homeownership affordable for all Arizonans.”
As of this report, the Hispanic Vote Coalition has not announced details for the upcoming events. As they are announced, information will be available on their website.
In a letter addressed to the county recorders of Arizona, America First Legal, on behalf of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and Strong Communities Foundation of Arizona wrote to remind the recorders of their legal obligation to scrub the voter rolls of any foreign nationals prior to the November 2024 General Election pursuant to 2022’s House Bill 2492, which was penned by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club.
Scot Mussi, President of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, said in a press release, “With the General Election quickly approaching, Arizonans still have serious concerns about the integrity of their votes – and for good reasons.”
🚨 We've officially put county recorders on alert: Failure to adhere to their responsibilities under the law may result in legal action. https://t.co/C6kKGKXn9l
— Arizona Free Enterprise Club (@azfec) July 17, 2024
He added, “It is unconscionable why any county would fail to clean its voter rolls to ensure that only American citizens are able to vote in U.S. elections. We intend to follow through with aggressive litigation should any of these elections’ officials ignore our request for strict compliance with state and federal laws. Arizonans deserve no less.”
HB2492, passed in 2022 and signed into law by then-Governor Doug Ducey enhanced the legal guardrails of the Arizona voter registration process, ensuring that proof of citizenship is required to ensure only U.S. citizens are voting in our elections. The law, one of two recently upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, requires that these county officials “shall record the efforts made to verify an applicant’s citizenship status.”
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of election integrity in Arizona, stating that voters who register without proof of citizenship will be rejected.
The law further established the consequences should they fail to do so, notably “if the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections fails to attempt to verify the citizenship status of an applicant … and the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections knowingly causes the applicant to be registered and it is later determined that the applicant was not a United States citizen at the time of registration, the county recorder or other officer in charge of elections is guilty of a class 6 felony.” According to the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, the letter provides three arguments for the county officials to consider:
“First, that state and federal law prohibit foreign nationals from voting or registering to vote. No foreign national is authorized to register to vote in or to vote in state or federal elections, regardless of immigration status; and that there are severe immigration-related consequences for any violations. According to the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office, there are 35,273 registered voters in the state as of April 2024, who failed to provide proof of citizenship.
Second, that state and federal law impose requirements for counties to conduct voter list maintenance and remove foreign nationals from voter rolls. Arizona law requires counties to perform monthly list maintenance to confirm the citizenship of federal-only voters, and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requires list maintenance to ensure the removal of ineligible voters. The Arizona Attorney General is also required by law to verify proof of citizenship of these voters.
Finally, that county recorders have access to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to verify citizenship or immigration status of registered voters on voter rolls – and DHS has a legal obligation to provide such information. These tools, enacted by the U.S. Congress, have existed for decades, along with provisions to initiate legal action should DHS fail to comply.”
The letter singed by James Rogers of the America First Legal Foundation concludes with a request that by the close of business on July 23rd, the county recorders confirm tha they have “(1) Submitted a request to DHS for citizenship confirmation of all federal-only voters registered in your county; (2) Submitted the list of your county’s federal-only voters to the Attorney General; and (3) Posted the number of federal-only voters registered as of January 2, February 20, April 1, and July 1, 2024, on the county recorder website.”
It finally warns that should any of the county recorders fail to do so, the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and Strong Communities Foundation of Arizona may take legal action to compel them to do so.
Democrat Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), alongside fellow Democrat Rep. Greg Stanton, broke with the rest of the Arizona Congressional Delegation and voted against The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act on July 10. The move from Gallego comes as a surprise to some given his own bill, the Voting Clarity Act, which, as reported by AZ Free News, would advise illegal immigrants applying for asylum that it is illegal for them to vote under federal law.
In a press release in early July, Gallego said definitively that voting rights should not be extended to illegal immigrants. He told reporters: “That is why it is critical that those seeking to enter the U.S. are told clearly and upfront that they cannot vote in our elections if they are not citizens.”
He added, “I’m proud to introduce this commonsense bill to combat misinformation about who can, and cannot vote in our federal elections.”
His vote against the SAVE Act would seem to vindicate a statement from the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) claiming that the Voting Clarity Act was merely an attempt to “pander” to Arizona voters concerned about the border. The NRSC rebuked him saying, “Ruben Gallego has been rubber-stamping the far left’s most radical, open border policies for his entire career in Washington. His election year pandering is a slap in the face to Arizonans who are facing the brunt of the border crisis Gallego helped create.”
Indeed, a vote against the SAVE Act would appear to contradict the sentiments of Gallego’s own “Voting Clarity Act,” in that the SAVE Act only serves to reinforce the laws that Gallego would advise illegal immigrants to obey.
Prohibit states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.
Prohibit states from registering an individual to vote in a federal election unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship; and
Require states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship.
Each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by specified sources.
The text of both bills are complimentary in most respects, with Gallego’s bill stating unequivocally, “The Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide information to each alien applying for asylum under this section on the restrictions on voting and the penalties for voting unlawfully under Federal law, including under section 611 of title 18, United States Code, at the time of such application. Information under this paragraph shall be provided in a form and language that the alien can understand.’’.
In a mailer obtained by Cactus Politics, Republican Senate Candidate Kari Lake’s campaign reportedly responded to Gallego’s vote against the SAVE Act that stated, “On Wednesday, Ruben Gallego voted AGAINST the SAVE Act, which would prevent illegal immigrants and non-U.S. citizens from voting in our elections and establish penalties for intentionally registering non-citizens to vote. Notably, Arizona currently tells voters that if their citizenship cannot be confirmed, they will receive a federal-only ballot, allowing them to vote in Presidential, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House Elections.”
Lake is quoted as saying, “Ruben Gallego helped Joe Biden open our border and allowed millions of illegal aliens into America. Then, today, to add insult to injury, Ruben spat in the face of every law-abiding American when he voted to allow illegal immigrants to vote in our elections. Our elections are sacred. We will NOT allow Biden and Gallego to water down our vote and disenfranchise American citizens. Ruben Gallego is the most radical member of Congress, and this November, Arizona will reject him and his owner, Joe Biden.”
During her remarks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Lake noted Gallego’s vote against the SAVE Act saying, “Americans are waking up to the truth about the disastrous Democrat policies pushed by Joe Biden and his favorite Congressman, my opponent Ruben Gallego. These guys, they are full, they’re full of bad ideas. Just last week Ruben Gallego voted to let the millions of people who poured into our country illegally cast a ballot in this upcoming election. Gallego and the Democrats have handed over control of my state, Arizona’s, border to the drug cartels and because of them, criminals and deadly drugs are pouring in and our children are dying. Our children are getting their hands on these drugs and dying.”
Gallego campaign spokeswoman Hannah Goss responded to Lake’s remarks in a statement published by the Arizona Mirror saying, “Kari Lake stood on stage and proved to everyone that she will say anything to get power — including lie to Arizonans to distract from her dangerous plan to ban abortion without exceptions for rape or incest.” Notably, the statement from Gallego’s spokeswoman failed to address the Congressman’s contradictory vote against the SAVE Act.
The Dysart Unified School District Governing Board voted unanimously to reject a recent Executive Order from President Joe Biden imposing new Title IX rules on schools via the US Department of Education. The new rules would, among other impacts, redefine “sex” to include “gender identity,” therefore requiring schools to reject biological sex in favor of how a student chooses to present themselves. The new rules released on April 19, 2024, are currently enjoined by federal court orders in 15 states, preventing enforcement, but as of this report are still applicable in Arizona.
Dysart Unified School District Governing Board President Dawn Densmore told reporters from the Arizona Daily Independent on Sunday, “The resolution I created in response to President Biden’s Executive Order and the United States Department of Education was adopted by unanimous vote at our meeting on July 11th.”
She added, “It’s an honor to lead the way in efforts to protect children and our faith communities from this government overreach.”
Dysart School District in Arizona passed a resolution NOT to comply with the unlawful Title IX rewrite that endangers girls at school.
— Nicole Solas, Sued by the Teachers Union (@Nicoletta0602) July 12, 2024
A Louisiana Federal District court in June found that the new Title IX rules constitute a significant federal overreach with Ogletree Deakins noting from the ruling:
“The Department exceeded its statutory authority under Title IX by redefining ‘sex’ to include ‘gender identity.’ The court found that based on the plain text and legislative history of Title IX, ‘sex’ was intended to refer to biological sex, not gender identity.
The new rules raise First Amendment concerns by potentially compelling speech, such as requiring teachers to use students’ preferred pronouns, even if doing so conflicts with their religious beliefs, and engaging in viewpoint discrimination.
The Department’s rulemaking was arbitrary and capricious. The Department failed to provide a reasoned explanation for departing from long-standing interpretations of ‘sex,’ left regulations in place that conflict with the new ‘gender identity’ mandate, and failed to adequately address safety concerns raised in public comments.”
In response Densmore told the Independent that the Dysart Unified School District Governing Board:
“Will not demand that parents or guardians compel the speech of their minor children, or the First Amendment rights of our staff in a way that contradicts their family values or religious freedoms
Already has current discrimination policies in place which protect every student, staff member and job applicants
Is committed — while not adopting the Title IX expansion — to honoring the original intent of Title IX, our U.S. Constitution, and the Constitution of the State of Arizona
Is committed to empowering parental involvement in education and minimizing public monies to be used to promulgate obtuse overreach into our schools.”
Arizona Women of Action shared the resolution via X on July 11 commenting, “This model conservative school board needs support.”
🗣 TODAY AT 3PM! Your peaceful & prayerful support is needed at the Dysart Unified school board meeting.
Dysart board will be presenting & voting on a resolution 👇 that is in response to the Biden Title IX overreach. This model conservative school board needs support.
— Arizona Women of Action (@azwomenofaction) July 11, 2024
The board resolved in part: “WHEREAS, the Dysart Governing Board is committed to empowering parental involvement in education and minimizing public monies to be used to promulgate obtuse overreach into our local school district and criminalizing innocent children, or the people of the varying faiths that commonly and firmly believe in truth, such as a Creator of two distinct and wonderfully made sexes, and;
BE IT RESOLVED that the Dysart Unified School Governing Board has determined:
1. The United States Department of Education has created a Final Regulation which is contrary to the plain language of Title IX
2. The Governing Board, deriving authority from the Arizona Constitution, Arizona statutes and the regulations of the Arizona Administrative Code, strongly urge the Arizona State Legislature to further codify our state statutes to ensure our children are protected from the political weaponization of government, which would infringe on both federal and state constitutional rights.”
According to the Arizona Republic, the board of the Dysart Unified School District was also to receive legal guidance on the “legal process for challenging” the regulatory change.
AZ Free News has contacted Densmore and asked for the next steps the board is preparing to take and will provide an update when received.
