US Congressman raises serious allegations against FBI

(MENAFN) United States Congressman Clay Higgins has raised serious allegations against the FBI regarding the handling of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the man who attempted to assassinate Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump last month. Higgins, a Louisiana Republican and former law enforcement officer, claims that the decision to release Crooks' remains for cremation was a deliberate cover-up.

Crooks was shot and killed by the United States Secret Service on July 13 after he opened fire on Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The attack resulted in the death of one bystander, and injuries to Trump and two other attendees. Higgins, who is part of the congressional Task Force investigating the attempted assassination, visited the crime scene earlier this month and has publicly shared his findings.

In his report released on Thursday, Higgins expressed concern over the timing and handling of Crooks' body. He revealed that the FBI authorized the release of Crooks' remains for cremation just ten days after the shooting. According to Higgins, this decision was made without informing key local authorities, including the county coroner and law enforcement officials. The coroner's report and the autopsy results were still pending as of August 5, raising doubts about the ability to verify the accuracy of these reports without the physical evidence.

Higgins criticized the FBI’s actions as obstructive, suggesting that the premature release of Crooks' body undermines any subsequent investigative efforts. He argues that such actions could reasonably be viewed as an attempt to hinder the investigation into the assassination attempt.

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