Staff Reports
Andrew Torba, the CEO of Gab, has dropped a bombshell revelation regarding the alleged would-be assassin of former President Donald Trump. It appears that Thomas Matthew Crooks, now infamous for his botched assassination attempt, may have been lurking on Gab with a pro-Biden account. This revelation raises eyebrows, especially given that Crooks has been described as a “deranged Biden supporter” by Torba himself. It’s a curious twist that only feeds into the zealous narrative that those on the left hate Trump so much that they might resort to desperate measures.
Torba claims that Gab received a tip about Crooks possibly having an account just 30 minutes before he announced it publicly. Naturally, Gab, which prides itself on free speech and not playing the censorship game like Twitter or Facebook, has yet to confirm whether the account actually belonged to Crooks—or if it was just another case of mistaken identity, which has become a hallmark of the left’s misinformation campaign. The last time the alleged account was active on Gab was back in 2021. Not surprisingly, it reportedly hasn’t sent any direct messages, leading one to wonder if it was merely a ghost account. Nine posts, and most of them promoting Biden? It sounds like a classic case of “not all users are good users.”
🚨Approximately 30 minutes ago, Gab learned that Thomas Crooks, the deranged Joe Biden supporter who attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump, may have had an account on our platform. We are unable to confirm that the account in question actually belonged to him.
The… pic.twitter.com/BcJrZJ4Yhk
— Andrew Torba (@BasedTorba) July 24, 2024
In a platform that has become a haven for conservative voices, Gab has often faced scrutiny for its user base’s political inclinations. Crooks’ apparent pro-Biden leanings only add fuel to the fire for those who claim Gab is a hub for extremist views, despite the reality that many users have found refuge from the increasingly left-leaning policies of mainstream social media. Torba noted that the posts from the account lauded Biden’s lockdown measures and immigration policies—hardly the kind of content a staunch conservative would promote.
It’s almost comical how the media and Democrats are attempting to rescue Biden from any connection to Crooks. Torba has hinted at a coordinated effort to downplay the assassin’s Democratic affiliation, arguing that the facts have a funny way of getting buried under a tidal wave of political rhetoric. Putting a spotlight on the connection, or lack thereof, could land Gab and its users in hot water with the left—a risk that many in the conservative sphere are unwilling to take. Torba also pointed out that Gab has endured politically motivated investigations in the past, particularly from the House Oversight Committee.
Meanwhile, the FBI is still digging into Crooks’ motives, trying to piece together how this young man came to launch a misguided attack at a Trump rally. The latest from FBI Director Christopher Wray paints a picture of premeditation, with Crooks reportedly conducting Google searches related to presidential assassinations. Perhaps instead of focusing on the immediate safety of public figures, there needs to be a more profound look at what drives these individuals to seek out violent actions in the name of political ideology.
As this bizarre saga evolves, the connection between an attempted assassination and the political affiliations of the perpetrator awaits further scrutiny. One thing is clear—Gab’s role in this drama is shrouded in controversy, and the proliferation of narrative that emerges will only solidify the divide between those who value free speech and those who desperately cling to their controlled narratives.
