DV Journal

Just two months after former President Donald Trump came within inches of dying from an assassin’s bullet in Pennsylvania, a Secret Service agent foiled a second attempt on a Florida golf course.

Trump was not hurt and a suspect is in custody. But officials on both sides of the political aisle say the two close calls show there are serious problems with Trump’s security. And some Trump supporters say part of the problem are partisan elements inside the federal government who are less-than-motivated to make sure Trump stays safe.

During a press conference on Sunday, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told reporters a Secret Service agent working security around Trump at his south Florida golf course was one hole ahead of  the former president when he saw a rifle barrel sticking through a chain link fence. He “immediately engaged” — firing his weapon — and the would-be shooter fled in a black Nissan.

Bradshaw said the suspect was about 300 to 500 yards from Trump before he was spotted. “With a rifle and scope like that, it’s not a long distance,” Bradshaw said.

The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, was arrested on Sunday. He reportedly has a lengthy criminal record in North Carolina, and he has frequently posted about politics, particularly the issue of Ukraine. He has declared on social media that “democracy is on the ballot and we cannot lose” in the 2024 election, a theme of the Kamala Harris campaign and other anti-Trump Democrats. He’s also touted his efforts to recruit people to travel to Ukraine and fight against Russia.

Trump released a statement telling supporters, “I am safe and well, and no one was hurt. But, there are people in this world who will do whatever it takes to stop us.”

And in a message of defiance, Trump posted on social media: “0-2,” a reference to two missed attempts on his life.

Many of Trump’s Pennsylvania supporters, however, weren’t laughing.

“It’s unbelievable to me that we’re here at this point again,” said Christian Nascimento, chair of the Montgomery County Republican Committee. “I hope that the Secret Service has better procedures in place than they did in Butler (Pennsylvania). And I hope that the political rhetoric will change. When you continue to call someone a threat for political gain, you invite disturbed individuals to take actions like this.”

Delaware County GOP Chairman Frank Agovino also pointed a finger at the political rhetoric Democrats are directing at Trump and his supporters.

“Democrat leadership continues to antagonize the electorate by knowingly spreading lies about President Trump’s desire for authoritarian rule. These lies are making for dangerous times and every American should call for a stop to this rhetoric,” said Agovino.

And Bruce Johnson, a retired FBI supervisory special agent, said, “You can’t call somebody a Nazi and Hitler and not expect this reaction. They made him out to be a villain who is destroying democracy. People think they’re heroes by killing ‘Hitler.’ He’s well-hated.

“If he was as bad as they say he is, why lie about him?” Johnson added. “Eight years of people saying what an evil person Trump is, it’s got to have an effect on those with weak minds.”

At the national level, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrat running against Trump for president, said on X, “I have been briefed on reports of gunshots fired near former President Trump and his property in Florida, and I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”

President Joe Biden released a statement saying, “I am relieved that the former president is unharmed.” He also added, “I have directed my team to continue to ensure that the Secret Service has every resource, capability, and proactive measure necessary to ensure the former president’s continued safety.”

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick posted on Twitter, “Thank God President Trump is safe after this scary incident. We are praying for him and his family and grateful for the quick actions of our men and women in law enforcement.”

Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) urged that Trump’s security detail be expanded.

“The level of Secret Service protection must be the same for former presidents as it is for current presidents. Both are constant targets of deranged individuals and foreign adversaries. Full USSS staffing is needed to completely secure all perimeters surrounding their protectees at all times.”

David Winkler, the Republican candidate for Congress running against Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery) is a Marine Corps and Army veteran. He called on Democrats to tone down their messaging and social media rhetoric.

“The dangerous rhetoric from the left needs to stop,” said Winkler. “It’s too divided…We’ve got to get back to policy and being Americans again,” said Winkler. “The rhetoric is over the top, as I see it. The Democrats put ads out there against President Trump and Dave McCormick that are to me inciting violence. And on social media. The Pennsylvania Democrats need to tone down their rhetoric. Stick to policy. Because I fear, as a candidate and a veteran, for President Trump’s life if they keep doing what they’re doing.”

Alfeia “Alfe” Goodwin, who is running against Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon in Delaware County, is also an Army veteran.

Goodwin said she “broke out in a cold sweat” after seeing a notice about the assassination attempt on social media. She hopes “American will understand this is not a game. This is real.”

She believes the Biden-Harris administration is signaling it’s OK to be violent.

“They have a level of tolerance for dangerous rhetoric and for violence,” said Goodwin, “that is like we’ve never seen before. And I think it fuels this type of behavior.” People think, “‘I don’t like him so why should he be alive?’ It has installed a sense of fear and for some on the hard left, that has become very traumatizing. I think Trump Derangement Syndrome is real. It’s real. These people are freaking out and becoming violent.”

Bucks County GOP Chair Pat Poprik called it “a travesty.”

“That a presidential candidate could be shot at two times during a campaign, let alone almost 2 months apart. The big question on everyone’s mind is why isn’t President Trump being given the additional protection he needs? It’s obvious to anyone that not checking the perimeter of a golf course where the president is golfing seems to be a dereliction of duty for sure. Thank God, one Secret Service agent saw the barrel of the gun and obviously saved not only the president’s life, but also of those in close proximity to him. It’s a sad commentary that some people think (this) is appropriate behavior when they disagree with someone. America has to learn to disagree with each other without becoming so disagreeable.”

Many of “the American people love and adore [Trump], most of us,” added Goodwin. “It’s just really sad these people are acting out. I just pray for him and his family.”

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As Congressional review of what happened on the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump has gotten underway, it is imperative that state and local law enforcement are offered a state-level forum to discuss what happened and what can be done better from their point of view.

It is with this need in mind that I recently introduced House Resolution 501 in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

This resolution would form a purely bipartisan Select Committee on the Trump Assassination Attempt, made up of three Republicans and three Democrats, to probe what happened on July 13th by giving state and local law enforcement a platform to describe what happened from their perspective. It will also offer policymakers ideas about how to improve state and local law enforcement practices, especially as they coordinate with federal law enforcement agencies, as Pennsylvania will remain the epicenter of political and cultural events in the coming years.

What happened on July 13th is an undeniable tragedy. One Pennsylvanian was killed shielding his family from the errant bullets of a would-be assassin. Two more were critically injured.

From the perspective of the head of the U.S. Secret Service, the day represented the “most significant operational failure at the Secret Service in decades.”

But there were also stories of heroism, patriotism, and citizens and law enforcement officers doing the right things in the right way. From what we know, state and local law enforcement responded with bravery and professionalism while keeping Pennsylvanians and high-profile individuals safe during a chaotic time.

These frontline heroes should not be pushed to the sideline or under the bus in how this story is told. They deserve the ability to have a more nuanced forum where they can present their story, their perspective, and their expertise in explaining what happened and how it can be prevented from happening again.

And the latter part of that is imperative as we look toward the future.

Pennsylvania is and will remain a political battleground state throughout the course of the 2024 election cycle and well into the future.

Our electoral votes are some of the most coveted among Presidential contenders and, as such, it is obvious that July 13th will not be the last time a Presidential candidate will be campaigning within the borders of the Commonwealth.

Also, as we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, Pennsylvania will be the home of many major celebrations commemorating that event, including major sporting events like the World Cup, the MLB All Star Game, the NFL draft, and the PGA Championship.

Combined, all of this means that it is not the last time state and local law enforcement, and other first responders, will have to coordinate with federal law enforcement partners to keep civilians and high-profile individuals safe from harm.

This committee will not look to assign blame but will inform Pennsylvania policymakers about what we can do to provide law enforcement and first responders with the tools they need to meet or create best practices that ensure the type of tragedy that happened on July 13th is not repeated.

Initially, reaction from the other side of the aisle in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives has been unreceptive with Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia), saying federal investigations should be enough.

Not only does this take an incomplete view of what federal investigators are looking at, but it is very on brand for Democrats to want to deny front-line law enforcement officers a voice and hear from their perspective.

While the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is not due back in session until the end of September, I would hate to think this commonsense imperative would go unmoved because of House Democrats in Pennsylvania no longer having a numeric majority in our chamber after two of their members just resigned.

The bottom line here is politics should not get in the way of looking into this serious matter and giving state and local law enforcement a voice.

Congress has seen the urgency in beginning a review of what happened and how to prevent it in the future.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives should join them.

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Former President Trump’s Delaware Valley supporters reacted strongly to the assassination attempt against him at a rally in western Pennsylvania on Saturday.

The shooting, which wounded Trump in the ear, left Sarver resident Corey Comperatore, 50, dead and injured two others. The State Police said they were in stable condition on Sunday.

“President Biden and the Democratic Party characterized our former president as Hitler and an existential threat to our democracy. Such talk invites action to save our democracy by killing the threat. Such talk negates any talk of uniting our country,” said Cheltenham resident Myron Goldman.

“It’s absolutely terrifying that an innocent man was killed and the republican candidate for president was almost assassinated in Pennsylvania. I don’t think Republicans are safe here. The consistent lies from liberal media about Donald Trump need to end,” said Jamie Cohen Walker, a Chalfont resident.

Philadelphia resident Elliott Tessler said, “This will have far-ranging ramifications – all in Trump’s favor. The picture of a defiant, bloodied Trump with his fist raised will be iconic and a rallying point and a campaign winner. The incompetence (purposeful?) of the Secret Service was an embarrassment.”

“This was an act of war against we the people, and we have four more months to come. The inability of the local police and the Secret Service is disgusting and needs to be fully investigated. By (President) Biden asking for a ‘bullseye,’ President Trump has cemented his second term,” said Richard Pruett of Drexel Hill.

West Goshen resident Felice Oliver Fein said, “The life lost and injuries sustained by President Trump and his followers at the Butler rally are tragic. I pray for all the families involved and those in the audience who were undoubtedly traumatized.

“The hatred that some feel for a man who is trying to save this Constitutional Republic stems, in large part, from the biased media reporting on Donald Trump and the social media censorship of conservative thought. As a result, people don’t know the truth about most issues and emotions escalated to the point of violence. Although I am not an expert in security, I find it incredibly suspicious that those in charge of planning the Butler rally had such a small security perimeter with a clear line of sight to the podium.

“The former PepsiCo executive and current Secret Service Director, Kimberly Cheatle, should resign.
Fein said. “Maybe Pepsi will take her back. Those in Congress who were calling for Donald Trump to lose his Secret Service security detail should also resign. Everyone knew that his life was in danger with the increased rhetoric, yet they wanted to put President Trump in harm’s way. Again, they should resign. In the corporate world, when someone can’t do the job or does it poorly, then firing is on the table. Here, the American public needs to fire the incompetent leaders in Washington D.C. by voting them out!”

Ellen Cox, leader of the Doylestown Republican Club, said she is “sickened and horrified by the attempted assassination of President Trump and appalled at the foul social media comments agreeing with it from people who claim ‘Hate Has No Home Here.’

“I strongly support Trump and oppose our opposition, but no one should be targeted like this, and I’m vehemently against any political violence. It is not how you win. It was ‘when,’ not ‘if,’ this was going to happen since violent rhetoric against Trump and his supporters has become the norm. And tragically, a man lost his life protecting his family yesterday at the Rally. Unreal.” Cox said.

Joy Schwartz, a Drexel Hill resident, said, “In the last several hours, Democrat leaders and journalists have repeated the mantra: ‘Theirs is absolutely no place for political violence anywhere in America!’ But they cannot bring themselves to utter Trump’s name or the word ‘assassination.’

“Since 2016, how many Democrat politicians, news outlets, and entertainers have repeatedly and viciously called for violence against President Trump and his followers.  In every Biden speech we hear dozens of variations of ‘Orange man bad!’” Schwartz added.

Newtown resident Fred D’Ascenzo said, “I had wondered and already had conversations that a last ditch effort would /could be an assassination attempt as all other efforts were failing. It didn’t help to see him depicted as Hitler,a rapist, a convicted felon, and an all around evil person by the left. I believe there was also a statement by Biden the he should be in the bullseye. My hope is that just maybe this event could bring down the temperature of both parties.”

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It is an old childhood truism that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” In the United States, where speech is protected with a constitutional and social ferocity like no other country in the world, this has always been the default position. We want strong, full-throated debates, and we don’t want to punish people for using language that offends.

But sometimes, language crosses the line. Sometimes, and even our own jurisprudence recognizes this, language can incite violence. That’s one of the exceptions to the almost absolute protection for free speech. And then we have those situations where language is used not so much to incite as to dehumanize. And if you are no longer human, you are no longer protected against inhumanity.

Take the Rwandan massacres. In 1994, the ruling Hutu government enlisted the aid of several radio stations, most notably Radio Television Mille Collines (RTMC), to spread propaganda among the illiterate Hutu population, urging them to look at their Tutsi neighbors as animals. RTMC exercised an immense amount of power and influence in the country. Concordia University has gathered the transcripts of some of those recordings, and they chill the blood. According to the preface to those transcriptions:

“From October 1993 to late 1994, RTLM was used by Hutu leaders to advance an extremist Hutu message and anti-Tutsi disinformation, spreading fear of a Tutsi genocide against Hutu, identifying specific Tutsi targets or areas where they could be found, and encouraging the progress of the genocide.”

We all know what happened. Starting in April 1994 and continuing for 100 days, over 800,000 people were murdered by the Interhamwe, the government forces. And those radio broadcasts helped gin up the anger against the Tutsis.

Of course, the genocide would have occurred without the radio transmissions. But the words used and disseminated by those in positions of authority were powerful weapons, turning people’s opinions against an innocent but hated ethnic minority. Words are cheap and plentiful, and the arsenal is easily replenished.

I write this not to compare what happened this weekend in Butler, Pa., to the Rwanda genocide. That would be a foolish use of my own words. Donald Trump is not dead, he survived an assassination attempt, and the killer was neutralized. We do not even yet know his motives, and it will likely be a while before we do. In the meantime, conspiracy theorists will weigh in with their tin foil hat opinions. I do not own any of those.

But I am also not insensitive to the fact that the political climate has become dangerously heated over the last eight years. When Donald Trump was elected back in 2016, women, in particular, acted as if they had been ordered to purchase burqas, leave school, and keep their wombs open for rental. Minority groups started screaming about the revocation of rights, and we were told that everyone in the Trump administration was one level down from Satan.

But it’s when he left office that things started to really ramp up, to the point that this past week alone, I counted at least 127 times on the combined networks of CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC and CBS that Trump was called “a threat to democracy,” or variations of that phrase. I started actually taking notes and writing down the times the words were mentioned after a roundtable on CNN used the terminology on every single broadcast between seven and midnight. It was a script, and they all used it.

When they call someone a “convicted felon” because they actually have been convicted, albeit under questionable circumstances, you can be annoyed at the lack of grace. Still, you can’t say it’s inaccurate. But when you paint someone as a dangerous man, a despot, someone who will destroy the country, force women to push out babies and then die on the delivery table, create concentration camps for immigrants and allow police to kill minorities at will, you create a very dangerous dynamic in society.

Most reasonable people won’t do anything. Most will just shake their heads and say, “Yeah, I hate the guy. What’s for dinner?”

But there are far too many people like the 20-year-old in Butler, Pa., who decided to go out in a blaze of glory targeting the “threat to democracy.” A troubled, diseased mind is susceptible to rhetoric and propaganda. It is political malpractice to give them the push they need.

Thank God Donald Trump survived. Now can everyone just shut up?

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A gunman tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a rally in western Pennsylvania on Saturday evening, apparently grazing his ear and setting off a wave of reaction from Keystone State politicians.

At least one person attending the Butler, Pa. campaign rally was killed, as was the shooter. Trump posted on social media that he was OK.

“I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Dave McCormick was at the rally preparing to go onstage when the shots were fired. He told Fox News the scene was “very chaotic” and estimated the crowd at 15,000 people.

“The crowd just sort of, you know, went to the ground, and the Secret Service came and very quickly tackled the president.”

McCormick was uncertain which direction the shots came from or whether there was more than one weapon.

“Sadly, someone behind me up in the bleachers was definitely wounded. And there was a lot of blood. The police came in and helped carry that person out of the stands so they could get the care they needed.”

“I was sitting to President Trump’s right as he was facing the crowd,” said McCormick, an Army combat veteran. “And I was in the front row. I felt like some of the shots came from the left side.”

“There were seven or eight shots,” he said.

Asked if Trump was lucky to be alive, McCormick said, “Yeah, absolutely. I think so.”

A photo released after the shooting showing a bullet narrowly missing Trump’s head appears to back up McCormick’s view.

“It was a very scary moment,” he added.

Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who’s been mentioned as a potential fill in if President Joe Biden drops out of the race, posted a statement on social media.

“Violence targeted at any political party or political leader is absolutely unacceptable. It has no place in Pennsylvania or the United States. I have been briefed on the situation. Pennsylvania state police are on the scene in Butler County and working with our federal and local partners.”

Many Pennsylvanians reacted with shock and concern.

State Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) said, “The resilience of America must overcome any gutless acts of violence. Praying for President Trump, his family, and any innocent victims and their families who may have been harmed by this senseless act. Thank you to the Secret Service, law enforcement, and emergency responders who assisted in keeping things safe and calm. God Bless America.”

U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks) said on X, “Praying for President Trump, his family, all in attendance at the rally, and our country. Political violence has no justification or any place in America—against anyone, for any reason, at any time. We will find this person/people, and we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

Also on X, Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Chester) said on X, “I’m heartened to hear that it appears the former President is safe after today’s attack in PA. I want to thank the Secret Service for their quick and decisive actions. There is still a great deal that we don’t know, but what we all do know is that there is no place for violence.”

Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-Pa.), also on X, said, “I am monitoring the situation at President Trump’s rally in Butler, and I’ve reached out to the State Police to offer support. Political violence is never acceptable, and I am hoping former president Trump & all attendees are safe. Everyone in Butler should listen to law enforcement.”

David Winkler, the Republican running against Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Montgomery), said, “I pray for President Trump’s safety & wellbeing, & I also pray for America as a whole. We will rise up a stronger and more united than ever. My opponent, Madeleine Dean, is complicit with her divisive rhetoric. We need to elect leaders who will chill the divisions & unify our country.” Dean reposted Shapiro’s quote on X.

“This is a somber day for our nation. My prayers are with President Trump and any other families that have been affected. I’m thankful for the swift and heroic response of law enforcement who undoubtedly saved countless lives today,” said Neil Young, the Republican running against Houlahan.

Alfeia Goodwin said, “As a Republican Congressional Candidate for the 5th Congressional District and a Trump47 Team Captain, I am deeply disheartened and disturbed by the violence taken against President Trump this evening in Butler, Pennsylvania. President Trump is a fighter who fights the good fight. I am praying for the safety and strength of him and his family.”

Goodwin’s opponent, U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Delaware), had not released a statement by press time.

Ashley Ehasz, the Democrat who is running against Fitzpatrick, said on X, “As a veteran who has seen the impact of political violence, I unequivocally condemn today’s violence against former president Donald Trump. I call for those responsible to be held accountable swiftly and wish for a full recovery for those injured. Violence is never the answer.”

Trump’s campaign manager, Chris LaCivita, said on X, “Well, of course, they tried to keep him off the ballot, they tried to put him in jail, and now you see this.”

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