By Ana Ceballos and Romy Ellenbogen of the McClatchy Washington Bureau (TNS)
TALLAHASSEE, FL. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody declared on Wednesday that the state had secured its own arrest warrant for Ryan Routh, the man suspected of attempting to kill Donald Trump this summer on the president-elect’s West Palm Beach golf course, in defiance of federal authorities.
In order to preserve the integrity of the federal case, state officials were instructed early this year to halt their parallel investigation into the issue when federal prosecutors charged Routh, 58, with attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate.
However, Moody stated that the state will proceed with its case, which is partially based on injuries a child suffered in a collision when police closed Interstate 95 to apprehend Routh. She and Governor Ron DeSantis said they believe it is within our rights to press charges for violations of Florida state law.
Given that the DOJ has been prosecuting Trump in Florida and Washington, D.C., DeSantis and Moody have frequently questioned the agency’s capacity to be completely open and truthful in their probe under President Joe Biden. Moody’s reaffirmed that view on Wednesday, stating that the state offered to work with the federal government to be a reliable, independent partner and to offer certainty.
According to Moody, there were legitimate concerns about the agency that was both prosecuting the president-elect and looking into his attempted assassination.
Weather delayed DeSantis’ appearance at the news conference on Wednesday issuing Routh’s arrest warrant. On the other hand, he claimed on social media that the federal government had blocked Florida’s probe into the Trump assassination attempt at every opportunity and that the state’s actions were required to bring about justice.
In regard to the day Trump will take the oath of office, DeSantis stated on X that “the tide will turn on January 20th and we fully expect that the federal roadblocks will be removed.” The public deserves to know the truth about the defendant’s background, intentions, and strategy, and the would-be killer must face the full weight of punishment.
Pam Bondi, a former attorney general of Florida, has been nominated by Trump to lead the Justice Department. U.S. senators should back her candidacy, Moody said during the press conference on Wednesday.
Moody, who is rumored to be among the candidates DeSantis is considering for a U.S. Senate seat, stated, “I ask that you fully consider and give deference and merit to these nominations.”
Moody claims that the state’s accusation against Routh, who is charged with loitering with a pistol for 12 hours on September 15 near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, is based on the injuries that a six-year-old child suffered in a car accident that occurred after Routh left the area.
When police stopped traffic in both ways on Interstate 95 in Martin County to arrest Routh as he attempted to flee, Moody said the girl suffered critical injuries. According to Routh’s arrest warrant, the five-vehicle collision occurred three or four miles south of the suspect’s vehicle. According to the paper, the girl was rushed to the hospital with potentially fatal injuries after paramedics had to remove her seatbelt.
His activities become an attempted felony murder case when you combine those horrific injuries with his additional illegal behavior, which we feel reaches the threshold of domestic terrorism, according to Moody.
The 18-page arrest affidavit,which includes details on Routh s social media posts, notes that he intended to commit an act of terrorism by assassinating former U.S. president, and at the time, presidential candidate Donald Trump.
It claims that he was driven by a set of beliefs and a pattern of hostility toward Trump. According to the affidavit, he fled the site of an attempted act of terrorism that injured a small kid, even though he was unable to carry out the intended crime.
Routh s intentional act of escaping the scene of his attempted act of terrorism could have easily resulted in the death of (redacted), but fortunately did not, the arrest affidavit states.
Although Routh is presently being held by federal authorities on federal allegations, Moody stated that he will eventually be transferred to face his state charges.
I expect that there might be some arguments made to the court regarding when that happens, Moody said.
2024 McClatchy Washington Bureau. Visitmcclatchydc.com. Tribune Content Agency, LLC is the distributor.
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