Who?
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) — Ranking Member, Homeland Security Committee
LISTEN: Laslo & Thompson
Ask a Pol asks:
What do you make of what we’re seeing with Nolan Wells’ death in Mississippi on the Fourth of July?
Key Thompson:
“Given Mississippi’s history, it’s very suspicious — because we have history on these kind of things,” Rep. Bennie Thompson exclusively tells Ask a Pol Politics. “And for a young Black boy to basically be with all white kids who are friends of his and come up missing… it’s just not adding up.”
ICYMI — Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo’s latest feature
Caught our ear:
“I think there are some concerns based on the second autopsy — some of the things that have been outlined were not outlined in the first autopsy, which creates additional suspicion,” Thompson tells us.
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Bennie Thompson (7-22-2026)
SCENE: Ahead of a vote on the floor of the US House of Representatives, Ask a Pol founder Matt Laslo catches Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member Bennie Thompson for his thoughts on the inconclusive second autopsy of Nolan Wells.
Matt Laslo: “What do you make of what we’re seeing with this kid in Mississippi, the one lost on 4th of July?”
Bennie Thompson: “Well, obviously there’s a tremendous concern on the part of a lot of people. Good kid, comes from a good family, no history of any irregular behavior or association. And he just left on an island by himself. And given Mississippi’s history, it’s very suspicious, because we have history on these kind of things, and for a young Black boy to basically be with all white kids who are friends of his and come up missing. And the fact that he was left on an island by the same people who went with him. And it’s just not adding up, and I feel sorry for the family. And we need to find out exactly what it is. I think there are some concerns based on the second autopsy — some of the things that have been outlined were not outlined in the first autopsy, which creates additional suspicion. I compliment Reverend Sharpton, the activists who stepped up in a financial way to help the family get relief, to be complimented. But the authorities need to release more information. My understanding is there have been conversations, but the family is not satisfied, nor has there been any public effort to collect information that I’m aware of.”
Matt Laslo: “Do you trust local officials in Mississippi, or do we need the Feds as a part of this?”
Bennie Thompson: “Well, I would hope that the Feds have been called. They should be. That’s on the lips of just about everybody you talk to. And sometimes our local authorities don’t have the capacity to conduct those kinds of investigations. So if I were asked to do it, I’d recommend it. They need not just clarity on what happened, but I think this whole country deserves it, you know. This was not a traditional… this was somebody going to school and just out for a July 4th celebration and came up dead. So sad.”
What should we ask Congress next?
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