Federal Court Arraignment for Would-Be Assassin

This weekend most of us were horrified when we tuned into the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and witnessed what clearly appeared to be another attempt on President Trump’s life.

Thankfully, the Secret Service stopped the would-be assassin and took him into custody with zero fatalities. One agent was shot but saved by his bulletproof vest.

Today, Cole Thomas Allen, the teacher from California and alleged gunman who tried to sprint past security to storm the ballroom with multiple weapons, was arraigned in federal court.

Of course, many people are calling this the third attempt on President Trump’s life, counting the Butler, Pennsylvania, attack and then the would-be shooter who was apprehended with a rifle on Trump’s Florida golf course. But I must say, this might be only the third assassination attempt that we are aware of. How many have the Secret Service successfully thwarted?

Even back in February, someone broke into Mar-a-Lago with a shotgun and a gasoline can, clearly with ill intent. That individual was taken out by Mar-a-Lago security. But for all we know, attempts could be more often – especially given the current tone of America.

But on Saturday night we had a third attempt where someone got very close to the President. Way too close. And not only President Trump but practically the bulk of the entire Trump Administration.

Allen was charged with “illegally ⁠transporting a firearm across state lines and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence” – as well as with “attempting to assassinate the U.S. president.”

The charges make sense given what the suspect wrote in his manifesto, which he sent to his family shortly before the event, confirming he planned to target the Trump Administration from the “highest-ranking to lowest.” Which certainly sounds like President Trump was not the only one he intended to kill this weekend.

The political rants in his manifesto are clear. These are beliefs he has obsessed over and seems to certainly rise to premeditation. Allenallegedly traveled by train from Los Angeles, through Chicago, to get to Washington, D.C., seemingly to evade air travel security. He even signed the manifesto as “Friendly Federal Assassin.” This man knew exactly what he was doing, which makes the whole situation even more disturbing.

Some on the Left have called this a staged assassination attempt in order to justify the building of the new White House ballroom. It’s a shame that we’ve reached a point where people immediately start jumping to such outlandish rumors and accusations, which do nothing except widen the divide in our country.

Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more discussion of the thwarted assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner this weekend and the arraignment of Cole Allen. And we kicked off our Faith Under Fire week as we highlighted the work of the ACLJ defending religious liberty.

Watch the full broadcast below: