Judicial Watch removes claim Crooks contacted Butler County deputy
An activist group that claimed would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks contacted a Butler County Sheriff’s Office deputy before the attempted assassination of then-candidate President Donald Trump in Butler County updated its website to remove that detail on Monday, June 8.
“We have maintained all along that there has never been communication with (a deputy and) the killer,” Butler County Sheriff Mike Slupe said Monday afternoon, June 8, “and I think there was some irresponsibility from Judicial Watch and those who forwarded this information without knowing the truth.”
Judicial Watch published a release on its website Friday claiming it had obtained 48 heavily redacted documents from the FBI through a lawsuit. The initial announcement claimed the documents show Crooks sent emails to a Butler County Sheriff’s deputy ahead of the assassination attempt.
In a new version of the release uploaded Monday, Judicial Watch said it reviewed further information released by the FBI and updated its release accordingly.
The update concentrates on a “gray remote device” Judical Watch claims the documents show was recovered from Crooks by a SWAT officer. The only mention of a Butler County Sheriff’s Office deputy in the update is in reference to the information having been updated.
Slupe said that while he is glad the organization updated its information, he is also frustrated over the potential damage the release may have caused.
“I am glad that Judicial Watch has updated their news release,” he said. “It’s a shame they don’t understand the harm they’ve done not only to my office, but to the Butler County, Ohio, Sheriff’s Office and that young female deputy whose name and face was irresponsibly placed all over social media.”
Judicial Watch’s news release published Friday can no longer be found on its website.
U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-16th, who led a task force on the assassination attempt, said his office is aware of Judicial Watch’s claims.
