DeSantis signs executive order to hand attempted assassination case of Donald Trump to state attorney general

Reporter: Claire Galt Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:
DeSantis
Gov. Ron DeSantis speaking to Moms for Liberty meeting in Philadelphia, June 30, 2023. (AP photo/Matt Rourke)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order to allow the state attorney general to investigate the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in West Palm Beach.

During a news conference on Tuesday morning, DeSantis announced the assignment for Attorney General Ashley Moody following the assassination attempt that occurred against the former president on Sunday.

DeSantis believed that the alleged shooter, Ryan Routh, had committed multiple state law violations, prompting the investigation.

According to the governor, Florida has the most straightforward process regarding state law violations, primarily mentioning attempted murder.

“I have directed state agencies to move expeditiously and provide full transparency to the public,” said DeSantis.

The governor then shifted the podium to Moody, who began her statement by thanking DeSantis for granting her the case while directing blame to the Democrats for not providing enough safety for the former president after the first assassination attempt.

DeSantis then ended the conference, hopeful that the investigation would be conducted swiftly and that the findings would be accurate and forthcoming to the public.

This second assassination attempt differs from what happened in Butler, Pennsylvania, because the sniper fired several rounds at Trump, with one round hitting him in the ear.

That’s a federal case, 100%. At Trump’s golf club Sunday, the suspected gunman did not fire.
Secret Service agents shot at the suspect, prompting him to run away.

It is not unusual for state and federal law enforcement agencies to run parallel investigations, and that’s what DeSantis proposes.

Potential attempted murder on the state side and attempted assassination of a former federal official on the federal side.

Who goes first?

Retired FBI agent Bob Foley told us that the U.S. Attorney’s office has the final say.

“It’s called the supremacy clause, and the feds have supremacy at the end of the day. It’s their case to investigate and prosecute,” Foley said. “Oftentimes, at the end of the day, they synergize resources and achieve a bigger result. I expect to see that here there may be some political bumps and bruises.”

At this hour, Routh is in federal custody.

The FBI has already done interviews with witnesses and others.

We asked the Florida Attorney General’s Office if the FBI will share those interviews with state investigators or if those investigators have to ask their own questions.

The U.S. Attorney for South Florida will not talk about the state case.

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