Trump Mourns Passing of Supporter Shot During Butler Rally
President Donald Trump is mourning the death of James “Jim” Copenhaver, one of the rallygoers seriously wounded during the 2024 assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Copenhaver, 76, died Wednesday at Allegheny Health Network’s West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh, according to the Allegheny County medical examiner and his family’s attorney.
Copenhaver had survived being shot twice during the July 13, 2024, attack at the Butler Farm Show grounds, suffering devastating injuries that required multiple surgeries and continued to affect him for more than two years.
Trump paid tribute to Copenhaver on Thursday, calling him a “true American Patriot” and describing his death as a “tremendous loss.”
“More than two years ago in Butler, Pennsylvania, a crazed gunman attempted to stifle our America First Movement,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Instead, Jim and so many other wonderful Patriots who love our Country, stood united in defense of our shared values of Freedom, Liberty, and Justice.”
Trump praised Copenhaver for the way he handled the difficult recovery that followed.
“Jim showed tremendous bravery, courageously continuing to FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, and maintaining a positive spirit despite unimaginable hardships,” Trump wrote.
“His indelible legacy of love and devotion will forever endure. Our hearts and prayers are with the Copenhaver family, especially his incredible wife Marianne.”
Copenhaver was sitting in the bleachers behind Trump when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from the roof of a nearby building.
Trump was struck in the right ear before Secret Service agents surrounded him and rushed him from the stage.
Three spectators were also struck. Former Buffalo Township fire chief Corey Comperatore, 50, was killed while shielding his family from the gunfire.
Copenhaver and fellow rally attendee David Dutch were seriously wounded. Dutch survived. Crooks was killed by a Secret Service counter-sniper.
Copenhaver was struck in his arm and abdomen. His injuries proved extensive.
According to a federal lawsuit he later filed, the gunfire caused injuries to his abdomen, colon and kidney, along with nerve damage and other medical problems.
He underwent multiple operations, including surgery involving his colon, and spent weeks recovering in the hospital and a rehabilitation facility.
Even after returning home, Copenhaver continued experiencing physical effects from the attack. He lost feeling in part of one leg and needed a cane to walk.
His lawsuit described the injuries as “debilitating, grievous, permanent and life altering.”
Copenhaver’s family said he faced the lengthy recovery with determination.
“Throughout that difficult time, James faced every challenge with the same strength and resolve that defined his life, and the kindness shown by so many brought great comfort to him and to those who love him,” attorney Joseph Feldman said on behalf of the family.
The family described Copenhaver as a devoted husband, father and grandfather who emphasized hard work, integrity and service to others. He was also a military veteran.
“James’s dedication to this great country was a defining part of his life,” the family said. “As a veteran, he proudly served our nation in the armed forces, and his love of country never wavered.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday subsequently said Copenhaver had died from “complications stemming from those wounds.”
Copenhaver’s death comes months after he and his wife, Marianne, filed a lawsuit against the federal government over the security failures surrounding the assassination attempt.
Dutch and his wife filed a similar lawsuit.
The lawsuits accuse the Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security of negligence and contend that federal authorities failed to properly secure the AGR International complex adjacent to the rally site — including the building Crooks ultimately climbed before opening fire.
The litigation points to congressional investigations that identified numerous security breakdowns surrounding the rally.
A bipartisan House task force investigating the assassination attempt found significant problems with planning, communications and coordination among the Secret Service and state and local law enforcement agencies.
The attack produced one of the defining images of the 2024 presidential campaign.
Moments after being shot, Trump stood as Secret Service agents surrounded him, raised his fist and repeatedly shouted “Fight!” before being taken from the stage.
Copenhaver was fighting for his own life only yards away.
Video later recovered from Copenhaver’s cellphone also provided investigators with a chilling perspective on the attack. Footage recorded shortly before the shooting showed a figure later identified as Crooks moving across the roof from which he would fire.
Copenhaver’s death drew condolences beyond Trump.
House Republicans said he had “endured unimaginable hardship with strength and perseverance” and offered prayers to his family.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, also expressed condolences while again condemning political violence.
"🔥 POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE! — THE 218-213 VOTE FORCES AOC INTO AN UNTHINKABLE POSITION!"
The Load Forecasting Enhancement Act cleared the House this week as lawmakers approved a broader package of 14 bills dealing with energy reliability, public health, drug enforcement, critical minerals, tourism, and AM radio.
H.R. 9332, sponsored by Republican Rep. Troy Balderson of Ohio and Democratic Rep. Rob Menendez of New Jersey, passed under suspension of the rules by voice vote.
The legislation would require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create regional joint boards with state public utility commissions to study electric load forecasting and identify practices intended to improve reliability and affordability.
Those boards would examine how utilities predict future electricity demand and develop recommendations aimed at improving the accuracy, oversight, and transparency of those forecasts.
The bill also requires FERC to report the boards’ recommendations to Congress and directs state regulatory authorities to consider incorporating those recommendations into their own forecasting practices.
Supporters argue that more accurate projections could help utilities avoid unnecessary infrastructure spending while preparing the electric grid for growing demand from data centers, manufacturing and other large electricity users.
House Energy and Commerce Committee leaders have increasingly focused on load growth as artificial intelligence infrastructure and other power-intensive industries place new demands on the nation’s electric system.
Energy Subcommittee Chairman Bob Latta said during earlier consideration of the bill that more accurate demand projections could lead to more cost-effective infrastructure development.
The Load Forecasting Enhancement Act was only one component of a much broader legislative push by the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie said the collection of bills was intended to address illicit drugs, grid reliability, domestic supply chains, tourism and access to AM radio.
Among the other measures approved was the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, which would direct the Department of Transportation to require automakers to include easily accessible AM radio in new vehicles without charging drivers an additional fee.
The House also approved the Combating Illicit Xylazine Act, which would place xylazine into Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act while preserving legitimate veterinary uses.
Another measure, Tyler’s Law, would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to examine whether hospital emergency departments should routinely test overdose patients for fentanyl.
Lawmakers also passed the Stop Pills That Kill Act, aimed at strengthening Drug Enforcement Administration oversight of pill presses and components that can be used to manufacture counterfeit controlled substances.
On energy infrastructure, the High-Capacity Grid Act would require FERC to establish standards for advanced transmission conductors used on certain new or upgraded transmission lines.
The Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act would require the Department of Energy to study how artificial intelligence and high-performance computing could improve the capacity, reliability and efficiency of the bulk power system.
Other legislation focused on recovering critical minerals from contaminated sites and discarded materials as policymakers seek to strengthen domestic supply chains.
The House also approved legislation extending the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act grant program through 2029, with that measure passing in a recorded 343-79 vote.
The American Music Tourism Act would direct federal tourism officials to promote travel to music venues, concerts, sporting attractions and other entertainment destinations across the country.
Another bill would reauthorize federal programs aimed at combating tick-borne and other vector-borne diseases through fiscal year 2030.
Several of the measures passed under the House’s suspension procedure, which is generally used for legislation expected to receive broad support and limits debate while requiring a two-thirds vote when a recorded vote is taken.
H.R. 9332 itself had already demonstrated bipartisan support during committee consideration, advancing from the Energy and Commerce Committee earlier this year without opposition in a 47-0 vote, The House Committee on Energy and Commerce said in a press release.
The House passage moves the Load Forecasting Enhancement Act another step forward as Congress considers how to prepare the electric grid for rapidly changing demand and new technology.
Ilhan Omar Ethics Case Dropped Despite $30M Filing Error
A congressional ethics watchdog recommended dismissing allegations against Rep. Ilhan Omar over financial disclosures that dramatically overstated her household wealth.
The Office of Congressional Conduct voted 5-1 to recommend ending the case, according to a confidential report reviewed Wednesday.
The Minnesota Democrat’s original 2024 disclosure listed household assets ranging between $6 million and $30 million.
That filing drew scrutiny because Omar’s previous disclosures showed dramatically smaller holdings connected mainly to her husband’s businesses.
Omar later amended the report, cutting the couple’s disclosed assets to between $18,004 and $95,000.
Despite that multimillion-dollar discrepancy, OCC investigators found insufficient evidence supporting allegations that Omar filed false or incomplete information.
The report said there was not “substantial reason to believe” Omar violated applicable financial-disclosure requirements.
Omar’s office immediately celebrated the watchdog recommendation as vindication after months of Republican criticism.
“From day one, we have been clear: the Congresswoman is not a millionaire,” her office said.
“This vote clearly underscores that the Congresswoman did nothing wrong,” the statement continued.
Her office also accused “the far right” of trying to “manufacture controversy” surrounding the disclosure mistake.
The disputed valuations centered largely on businesses controlled by Omar’s husband, former political consultant Tim Mynett.
Omar’s 2023 disclosure valued Mynett’s Rose Lake Capital stake between $1 and $1,000.
Her 2024 filing then placed that same Washington-based venture-capital management business between $5 million and $25 million.
The earlier disclosure valued Mynett’s California winery, eStCru LLC, between $15,001 and $50,000.
House Oversight Chairman James Comer demanded financial records from Mynett in February as Republicans intensified scrutiny.
Comer’s committee noted both businesses rose from at most $51,000 to potentially $30 million within one year.
The Kentucky Republican questioned whether undisclosed investors might use Mynett’s companies to seek influence involving a sitting congresswoman.
Comer demanded documents explaining the firms’ finances, investors, ownership interests and dramatic reported valuation increases.
“It’s not possible. It’s not. I’m a money guy. It’s not possible,” Comer said about the increase.
Omar’s office maintained the original valuations resulted from accounting mistakes rather than hidden wealth or misconduct.
Her representatives said the filing used incomplete information and listed business assets without properly accounting for liabilities.
After liabilities were considered, both Mynett companies were listed with no net value on Omar’s amended filing.
The amended disclosure nevertheless reported between $102,502 and $1,005,000 in income from those businesses during 2024.
The winery generated another $2,501 to $5,000, according to the corrected disclosure.
Omar’s lawyer told investigators lawmakers frequently rely on accountants and other professionals when preparing financial disclosures.
The attorney maintained “there is nothing untoward, and nothing illegal has occurred” regarding the mistake.
Omar previously rejected claims she was wealthy, saying she “barely have thousands let alone millions.”
Her newest 2025 disclosure again portrays a dramatically smaller financial picture than the original multimillion-dollar filing suggested.
That report lists household assets between roughly $20,000 and $125,000, alongside student-loan and credit-card debts.
Omar lists between $15,001 and $50,000 in student debt, while Mynett reports similarly ranged credit-card liabilities.
Republicans argue those swings justify continued scrutiny despite the congressional conduct office recommending dismissal of this specific allegation.
It does not erase the original filing, which Omar amended after acknowledging the reported valuations were incorrect.
Nor does the OCC decision resolve separate questions raised by the Republican-led House Oversight Committee.
The Office of Congressional Conduct independently reviews misconduct allegations before potentially referring matters to the House Ethics Committee.
Its board’s 5-1 recommendation asks the House Ethics Committee to dismiss this particular financial-disclosure allegation.
For Omar, the decision provides political ammunition to argue Republican accusations about her finances were exaggerated.
For conservatives, the enormous difference between $30 million and under $100,000 remains difficult to dismiss as insignificant.
Oversight’s inquiry arose amid broader Minnesota social-services fraud investigations, but its letter did not establish Omar’s involvement in fraud.
The watchdog decision represents an important victory for Omar, but it does not make the disclosure discrepancy disappear.
Republicans counter that lawmakers remain responsible for financial forms they certify and that enormous discrepancies deserve transparency.
For now, Omar can claim an ethics victory while Republicans continue demanding answers about the numbers that sparked scrutiny.
