Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has accused the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) of obstructing the state’s efforts to investigate an alleged assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
Moody’s office filed a federal lawsuit on Wednesday against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, claiming that the DOJ, through the FBI, is preventing Florida authorities from investigating whether the accused gunman, Ryan Routh, violated state laws during the incident.
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“This seems to me to be shocking that the federal government is trying so hard to frustrate the state investigation,” Moody told The News Service of Florida on Friday. “I can’t understand it, for the life of me. Why they would want to do that? Nonetheless, they are and certainly Florida has never been shy of fighting for our interests and the autonomy of our own state.”
The incident in question occurred last month when Routh, 58, was spotted by a U.S. Secret Service agent hiding with a rifle in shrubbery near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, where the former president—currently a candidate for the 2024 presidential election—was playing golf.
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A Secret Service agent fired at Routh, who fled the scene but was later apprehended after a brief chase.
While federal charges have been filed against Routh, Moody argues that a state investigation could uncover additional charges. The lawsuit aims to allow Florida’s investigation to proceed alongside the federal case.
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