(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Newly released documents unveiled the previously undisclosed last name of a woman present during the drowning incident of Tafari Campbell, the former chef of Barack Obama, at a lake near the former president’s Martha’s Vineyard home.
Conservative watchdog Judicial Watch released 34 pages of DHS documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests. These documents revealed that a woman referred to as “Ms. Taylor” was present at the scene when Campbell drowned.
Details within the FOIA records shed light on the aftermath of the incident. A Secret Service report dated July 24 documented an interview with an agent, quoting Taylor’s account: “‘Ms. Taylor stated that Mr. Campbell was not wearing a life jacket and had no personal flotation devices aboard the paddleboard at the time of the incident.’”
Previously identified by the Daily Mail as a 26-year-old Obama staffer, Taylor’s recount of the tragic event had remained undisclosed, raising questions among commentators on social media.
Another document released by Judicial Watch detailed Taylor’s declarations, as quoted by a Secret Service agent. She reportedly fell to the grown and said that Tafari had drowned. “She stated that he fell in the water and struggled for a couple of seconds before giving up and sinking underwater,” the agent reportedly said, according to Judicial Watch.
Accounts from federal agents noted difficulties starting motorboats at the scene. One document recounted an agent’s testimony: “A similar issue occurred with the motor on the second boat. We jumped into a third boat belonging to the groundskeeper and it worked without issue.”
The documents further revealed that a federal agent had witnessed both Taylor and Campbell leaving the president’s home heading towards the water. Campbell subsequently fell into the water and drowned, despite Taylor attempting to push a paddle board towards him.
After Campbell disappeared under water, Taylor paddled between 50 to 70 yards to the shore and sought help from an agent, informing them about the incident.
In response to the tragic incident, Obama expressed his condolences via Instagram, saying, “Tafari Campbell showed us what true character looks like. He believed that actions speak louder than words… I’ll miss him every day.”
