Judicial Watch's Thomas Fitton slams FBI's 'drip-drip' release for 75,000 pages of Trump-Butler shooting files: news

Judicial Watch’s Thomas Fitton Slams FBI Over ‘Drip-Drip’ Release of 75,000 Trump-Butler Shooting Records

Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton has sharply criticized the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over what he characterizes as an unacceptable “drip-drip” release schedule for approximately 75,000 pages of investigative files related to the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt on Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

The conservative legal watchdog group, which compelled the disclosure through ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation against the Department of Justice, argues that the federal government is slow-walking critical records that the American public has a right to see.

Lawsuit Uncovers Vast Trove of Butler Assassination Files

According to Judicial Watch, the FBI has identified an estimated 75,000 pages of responsive records concerning shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks and the security failures surrounding the Butler campaign rally. However, under the agency’s proposed production rates, processing and releasing the complete archive could stretch across years.

Fitton condemned the protracted pace, stating that dragging out the release undermines transparency surrounding one of the most significant security breakdowns in modern American history. Judicial Watch maintains that the overwhelming public interest in uncovering how a former president and current presidential candidate was nearly killedand rally attendees were struckfar outweighs administrative delays or excessive redaction justifications.

Key Revelations From the Initial Disclosures

Recent document batches pried loose by the FOIA lawsuit have begun shedding light on Crooks’ activities leading up to the shooting, though watchdog officials emphasize the documents remain heavily redacted:

• Cryptic Communications: Records revealed text exchanges between Crooks and unknown individuals containing cryptic messages and discussions regarding 3D printing equipment. The identities of recipients and significant portions of the dialogue were blacked out by federal censors.

  CBS News

• Foreign Package Delivery: Files confirmed that Crooks received a package shipped from Hong Kong in January 2023, though the released materials omitted details about the contents.

  CBS News

• Pre-Rally Surveillance: Documents detailed drone flights conducted by Crooks, including aerial surveillance flown over the Butler Farm Show grounds just hours before gunfire broke out, alongside photos of prominent regional landmarks.

  CBS News

• On-Scene Evidence: Files documented the recovery of equipment from the shooter’s person on the AGR building roof, including a remote detonation device.

Calls for Immediate Full Disclosure

Lawmakers and government oversight advocates have echoed concerns that the piecemeal release prevents a comprehensive assessment of systemic law enforcement and Secret Service lapses.

Judicial Watch has indicated it will continue pressing federal courts to enforce expedited processing orders, demanding that the Department of Justice and the FBI abandon prolonged production schedules and deliver full, unredacted transparency regarding the Butler investigation.