DeSantis suggests Florida could charge alleged Trump attacker with attempted murder: "apparent, would-be assassin"
The governor initiated a separate investigation through state law enforcement agencies, independent of the federal government, and stated that he had Trump's approval.
TroibNews 
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — On Tuesday, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida launched a state-level probe into the reported assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, suggesting the potential for an attempted murder charge to be filed against the suspect.
Governor DeSantis vowed to impose the "most serious charges that are on the books to hold this guy accountable." A conviction could see the suspect facing life imprisonment.
The initial federal allegations against Ryan Routh, the arrestee, include illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number. Routh, apprehended soon after the event on Sunday, could face further charges as the federal investigation continues. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
"He was in good spirits," DeSantis relayed after speaking with Trump. "He was complimentary of the state of Florida taking the lead. He thought that was totally appropriate, and he encouraged us to continue doing what we're doing."
At a press conference near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, where the FBI is investigating the incident, DeSantis announced the signing of an executive order. The directive appoints a statewide prosecutor to spearhead the inquiry under the supervision of the Attorney General's office, jointly with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Department of Highway Safety.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody was also at the conference and addressed prior inquiries about potential conflicts between state and federal investigative bodies.
“The American people need to know we're on this,” she stated. “Sometimes states have the ability and the jurisdiction to bring charges and go after maximum penalties that maybe the federal government does not … It is very common for state investigators, state prosecutors, to work with our federal prosecutors and federal agents on dual tracks with different purposes.”
Additionally, both Moody and DeSantis expressed concerns about the FBI's neutrality in the new investigation, given its history with Trump involving two cases resulting in felony charges.
“I do think that there's a lot of concern about how these agencies have operated,” DeSantis commented. “For us, all we are interested in is the truth. We're not involved in any of those other things that the Justice Department has been involved in. So it's better for the public, and it's better for justice.”
He assured that the state investigation would be conducted “expeditiously and transparently,” with periodic public updates from state law enforcement.
The Secret Service praised its response to the weekend's events as “exemplary,” despite encountering unexpected challenges with Trump’s schedule. Officials noted that Routh did not have a clear line of sight to Trump and did not discharge his firearm.
DeSantis highlighted vulnerabilities at the Mar-a-Lago golf course, often frequented by Trump, mentioning an incident where Routh was onsite for about 12 hours undetected and questioning the effectiveness of security measures.
He emphasized his focus on uncovering facts without assigning blame. “I think that there's two really significant interests: holding him accountable,” he remarked, “and then delivering the truth about how this could have happened.”
Contributions to this report were made by Josh Gerstein.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
Governor DeSantis vowed to impose the "most serious charges that are on the books to hold this guy accountable." A conviction could see the suspect facing life imprisonment.
The initial federal allegations against Ryan Routh, the arrestee, include illegal possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number. Routh, apprehended soon after the event on Sunday, could face further charges as the federal investigation continues. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
"He was in good spirits," DeSantis relayed after speaking with Trump. "He was complimentary of the state of Florida taking the lead. He thought that was totally appropriate, and he encouraged us to continue doing what we're doing."
At a press conference near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, where the FBI is investigating the incident, DeSantis announced the signing of an executive order. The directive appoints a statewide prosecutor to spearhead the inquiry under the supervision of the Attorney General's office, jointly with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Department of Highway Safety.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody was also at the conference and addressed prior inquiries about potential conflicts between state and federal investigative bodies.
“The American people need to know we're on this,” she stated. “Sometimes states have the ability and the jurisdiction to bring charges and go after maximum penalties that maybe the federal government does not … It is very common for state investigators, state prosecutors, to work with our federal prosecutors and federal agents on dual tracks with different purposes.”
Additionally, both Moody and DeSantis expressed concerns about the FBI's neutrality in the new investigation, given its history with Trump involving two cases resulting in felony charges.
“I do think that there's a lot of concern about how these agencies have operated,” DeSantis commented. “For us, all we are interested in is the truth. We're not involved in any of those other things that the Justice Department has been involved in. So it's better for the public, and it's better for justice.”
He assured that the state investigation would be conducted “expeditiously and transparently,” with periodic public updates from state law enforcement.
The Secret Service praised its response to the weekend's events as “exemplary,” despite encountering unexpected challenges with Trump’s schedule. Officials noted that Routh did not have a clear line of sight to Trump and did not discharge his firearm.
DeSantis highlighted vulnerabilities at the Mar-a-Lago golf course, often frequented by Trump, mentioning an incident where Routh was onsite for about 12 hours undetected and questioning the effectiveness of security measures.
He emphasized his focus on uncovering facts without assigning blame. “I think that there's two really significant interests: holding him accountable,” he remarked, “and then delivering the truth about how this could have happened.”
Contributions to this report were made by Josh Gerstein.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
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