FBI Director Christopher Wray is scheduled to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday regarding the bureau's investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. The hearing is expected to focus on obtaining fresh details about the gunman's motive and background.
The shooting incident involving the 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, has brought the FBI back into the political spotlight. This event marks the most serious attempt to assassinate a president or presidential candidate since the shooting of Ronald Reagan in 1981.
The hearing was planned prior to the June 13 shooting as part of the committee's routine oversight of the FBI and Justice Department. While a variety of topics may be discussed, inquiries related to the shooting are likely to take center stage.
Despite being appointed by Trump, Wray often faces challenging questions from the Republican-led panel due to ongoing concerns regarding the FBI's investigation into potential ties between Russia and the 2016 campaign. While the FBI's handling of security matters leading up to the shooting has not faced the same level of scrutiny as the Secret Service, which recently saw its Director resign, Wray is anticipated to face skepticism from lawmakers regarding the bureau's assessment that Crooks had no clear ideological motive for his actions.
The FBI has classified the Butler, Pennsylvania shooting, which resulted in the death of one rallygoer and serious injuries to two others, as an act of domestic terrorism and an attempted assassination.
Recent briefings to Congress revealed that Crooks had images of Trump, President Joe Biden, and other officials on his phone. He had also researched the dates of the Democratic National Convention and Trump's public appearances. Additionally, it was disclosed that Crooks had flown a drone over the rally site before the event, indicating a premeditated effort to survey the area.
