New federal records are shedding more light on Thomas Crooks, the man identified as President Trump’s would-be assassin in Butler, Pennsylvania. The records include unusual details about his online activity, his family, and his personal behavior.
Fox News reviewed records turned over to the Senate on Tuesday. The material raises a basic question: Why did so much of this information remain unknown until now?
One detail involves Crooks’ parents. His father, Matthew Crooks, took early retirement shortly after the shooting. His mother, Mary Crooks, went on leave from work to “process the situation.” The family also reportedly lacked significant financial means and could not afford a funeral for their son. Those facts have prompted additional questions about what may be missing from the public account.
Records reviewed by the New York Post contain one of the most unusual revelations. Crooks reportedly adopted the pseudonym “Bob Dole” while ordering large numbers of Amazon packages. The purchases included “parts, tools, and items to increase the capacity of his rifle.”
The records indicate that Crooks began using pseudonyms after his father’s Citizens Bank checking account was hacked and multiple fraudulent BetMGM charges were made on the account. Crooks apparently believed that using a false name would help protect his purchases and online accounts.
His father warned him that a pseudonym would not necessarily protect the buyer from being hacked. The charge was still being made to a bank account under Crooks’ name. Even after that warning, Crooks continued using different names for online orders.
The Post reported: “Thomas dismissed his dad’s logic and continued using pseudonyms to make his online purchases, believing he was shielding his accounts from being compromised. He also coached Matthew how to use identity-obscuring software like CyberGhost VPN and the Bravenet Browser — which Thomas would argue made them ‘less likely to be compromised by outside actors.’”
Documents also describe Crooks as highly focused on privacy. He reportedly coached his father on using CyberGhost VPN and the Bravenet Browser. He also used multiple privacy-focused encrypted email providers, including GMX and Mailfence.
Other records focus on Crooks’ personality and interests. Matthew Crooks told interviewers that his son was a loner with no friends. He reportedly never showed interest in girls and frequently talked to himself. The records also say he developed an obsession with guns during his teenage years and had been emotionless since birth.
Despite those descriptions, the records say family members did not see the behavior as a red flag. That is another troubling part of the account. The documents describe a young man displaying isolation, unusual behavior, intense privacy concerns, and a growing interest in firearms. Yet they still do not provide the most important answer.
There is still no known motive for why Crooks tried to take out Trump. The newly reviewed records add detail, but they do not explain the central question surrounding the shooting. Until a motive is established, questions about the investigation—and allegations of a possible cover-up—are likely to remain.
Source: The Gateway Pundit