While it’s the NY Post:
“One former classmate, who confirmed photos of Crooks, told The Post, “He didn’t seem like really weird or anything.
I would have pegged him as a Republican.””
Keep in mind, Thomas evidently lived in a heavily red and very pro Trump area. To them, the typical Republican is a pro Trump and his wing Republican. If he spoke out against Trump initially, he’d very likely be pegged as “just another lefty.” That is to say he easily blended in with his own kind.
If I was to guess that Act Blue donation? A bet, if Trump lost he’d donate to Act Blue on inauguration day, if Biden lost someone else would donate to something red. That it’s on inauguration day and not prior to a campaign winning is just really odd timing.
As if purposefully trying to avoid giving money to aid a campaign to win. Others have said simply buying merchandise could have been seen as a donation. Thus the kid may have been among those that bought something associated with left to burn it for social media as the right was known to do at the time.
Ex:
From Nike to Keurig, Conservatives Keep Blowing Up Things They Bought to Own Libs
I’ve been guessing it’s more something like
that than the farther jump of being a leftist who became radicalized to the far militia right in-between in 2021.
Student account of Thomas simply further cements it: a kid on the right going farther to the right.
Thomas Matthew Crooks, the gunman who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday, has been pictured for the first time.
nypost.com