Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed a lawsuit claiming that the U.S. Department of Justice is improperly blocking the state from investigating an alleged assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
The suit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Fort Pierce against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, argues that the FBI, part of the Department of Justice, has barred state authorities from investigating whether the accused gunman, Ryan Routh, violated state laws.
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Routh, 58, was reportedly spotted by a U.S. Secret Service agent hiding with a rifle in the shrubbery near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach while the former president—currently the Republican presidential nominee—was playing golf.
A Secret Service agent fired at Routh, who then fled and was captured after a short car chase. Federal authorities have already filed charges against him, but Moody’s office argues a state investigation could lead to additional charges, including attempted murder.
“Every day that Florida is prevented from investigating, the state’s case becomes harder to prove at trial,” the lawsuit said. “By contrast, the federal government suffers no injury from Florida investigating state law crimes, as the state has no intention of interfering with or obstructing the federal investigation.”
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