Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that the State of Florida will be conducting an independent investigation into the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
DeSantis explained the rationale behind the additional investigation, pointing to a conflict of interest within the federal government concerning Trump.
BREAKING: Governor DeSantis Moves Trump Assassination Case Under State Jurisdiction
This means that Ryan Routh can be prosecuted for attempted m*rder, not just federal charges.
The Governor explained his rationale, saying, "In my judgment, it's not in the best interest of our… pic.twitter.com/TjvhX3aLWR
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) September 17, 2024
In announcing the investigation, DeSantis said, “In my judgment, it’s not in the best interest of our state or our nation that the same federal agencies that are seeking to prosecute Donald Trump [are] leading this investigation, especially when the most serious, straightforward offense,” which DeSantis explained is attempted murder, “constitutes a violation of state law, but not federal law.”
DeSantis emphasized, “The public deserves to know the truth about how this assassination came to be.”
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody echoed DeSantis’ comments.
“This deranged, would-be assassin broke Florida law, and we will not wait on the federal government to act,” Moody said in a press release. “Florida is launching its own investigation, and I have directed my statewide prosecutors to assist [the Florida Department of Law Enforcement] and [the Florida Highway Patrol], as we work quickly to uncover the facts behind this latest attempt on President Trump’s life and provide trust and transparency to the American people.”
NewsNation reports on DeSantis’ decision to initiate an independent investigation. Here’s the start of the story:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday his state will conduct its own investigation into the second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
At a press conference, DeSantis said he assigned the case to a statewide prosecutor who will go after the most serious charges they can against the suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, including attempted murder. Routh is accused of pushing the muzzle of an AK-style rifle through the fence perimeter of the West Palm Beach golf course the former president was on Sunday afternoon.
DeSantis said he expects full transparency during this probe.
“I’ve directed state agencies to move expeditiously and provide full transparency to the public,” DeSantis said. The Republican governor added that he noticed security flaws when playing golf with Trump in West Palm Beach.
It’s not uncommon for state and federal law enforcement agencies to run simultaneous investigations into crimes. States may be able to bring charges that are unavailable at the federal level and vice versa. Currently, Routh faces gun charges at the federal level, though additional ones could be forthcoming.