Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order on Tuesday assigning the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution to investigate the attempted assassination on Donald Trump at his golf course on Sunday.
“The suspect, Ryan Routh, is believed to have committed state law violations across multiple judicial circuits in this state,” he explained.
BREAKING: Governor DeSantis Moves Trump Assassination Case Under State Jurisdiction
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) September 17, 2024
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 governor also pointed out the American people don’t trust federal agencies to engage in unbiased investigations that actually hold people accountable for security failures.
The feds also refused to charge the would-be assassin, Ryan Routh, with attempted murder, but DeSantis noted the state has the jurisdiction to go ahead with the prosecution.
“Do we honestly think this agency, these agencies, are the best to turn around and do this investigation on a potential assassin, that some of them may or may not want to be held accountable for if there was something they could have done better with security?” DeSantis said.
The Republican politician provided an excellent answer when asked why the state investigation would be more satisfactory than a federal one for citizens and journalists.
DeSantis said state laws allowing FOIA requests related to the investigation will allow the press and public to see more information about the case than if the feds were in charge.
Q: "What kind of information do you think a state investigation will reveal that a federal investigation may not?"
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 17, 2024
Here's my answer: pic.twitter.com/qhosylasTL
Governor DeSantis wrote on X:
“The State of Florida is conducting its own investigation into the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. It is not in the best interests of our state and nation to have the same federal agencies seeking to prosecute Trump leading this investigation. As I announced in Palm Beach County this morning, I am assigning this case to the Office of the Statewide Prosecutor. The suspect is believed to have violated state laws across multiple judicial circuits. The State of Florida has jurisdiction over the most serious, readily provable offense: attempted murder. The public deserves answers on how something like this could happen. I have directed our state agencies to move expeditiously and to provide full transparency to the public. There will be accountability in Florida. The people of our state, and the entire country, deserve no less.”
The State of Florida is conducting its own investigation into the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. It is not in the best interests of our state and nation to have the same federal agencies seeking to prosecute Trump leading this investigation.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 17, 2024
As… pic.twitter.com/l61XCoe0ls