Ryan Routh, accused of plotting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, will be investigated by the state of Florida alongside any potential federal investigation, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) pledged today.
Police captured Routh in Florida after the Secret Service discovered him with a gun on Trump’s Palm Beach golf course while the former president played a round.
DeSantis announced on Tuesday that Florida will be looking at tougher charges than what the federal government initially filed, including attempted murder. Authorities charged Routh on Monday with firearms offenses for owning a gun despite being a convicted felon, as well as removing the serial number from a gun. He never fired his gun or had Trump in his line of sight, officials said.
Additional charges are often added as investigations progress, but DeSantis is justifying the parallel investigation as appropriate given conservative skepticism of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice. Many Republicans accuse the two agencies of targeting Trump and conservatives more generally.
“It’s not in the best interest of our state or our nation to have the same federal agencies seeking to prosecute Donald Trump leading this investigation,” DeSantis said at Tuesday’s press conference.
DeSantis also announced that he will sign an order to speed up the investigation, and directed “all state agencies to work expeditiously.”
Conservatives greeted the announcement with relief, believing a DeSantis-led state agency would be more reliable.
Those on the right already pushed claims that the potential assassination attempt by Routh could have been aided by a mole in Trump’s entourage or the Secret Service.
“We have lost complete faith in our federal agencies. We will trust the outcome [of] a FL state investigation much more,” posted @BrookeWeiss.
“I love my governor!!!” added @KarenOtterstein. “Let’s show these feds how to do this!!!”
But not everybody trusted DeSantis’ move. While he was once a rising star in the party and the conservative movement, his reputation took a heavy bruising during the Republican primary, and many Trump voters still don’t forgive him.
“I remain a bit curious why he hasn’t offered state policy security for Trump when in Florida, knowing USSS management is useless,” posted @aimtomisb3hav3. “It’s almost as if it’s a charade.”
Others were excited by the misconception DeSantis hadn’t immediately handed Routh over to the FBI.
Authorities brought him to a federal courthouse on Sunday to face charges. But while Routh is technically in federal custody, he is still being housed in a local jail.
Some thought DeSantis’s actions would prevent Routh from meeting a suspicious end.
“Thankfully Governor DeSantis of Florida opened up a parallel investigation, [and] is not releasing the suspect to the feds, where he’d probably disappear like Epstein himself so to speak,” Donald Trump Jr. said on his Rumble show.
Posters quickly pointed out that Epstein died in a federal prison under the control of Trump-appointed Attorney General William Barr during the Trump administration.
“Remind me, who was in charge of the Federal Government when Epstein died in prison!” posted @earleklassen.
Some tied it to a different infamous incident, agreeing that DeSantis, by keeping him in a Florida jail, prevented him from being Jack Ruby-ed.
“Excellent decision by DeSantis. He’d have met the ghost of Jack Ruby by now if the Feds had him,” wrote one.
“I hope @GovRonDeSantis doesn’t let Routh get the #jackruby treatment so #America gets answers,” said another.
Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald, Kennedy’s alleged assassin, while police transferred Oswald. Ruby claimed Oswald’s action left him distraught and he sought revenge, but many people believe the act was to keep Oswald from talking after he publicly declared himself a “patsy” after his arrest.
And other posters thought DeSantis’ move was just ineffectual posturing.
“Ron DeSantis will appear to take any position that ostensibly most benefits Ron DeSantis at any given time,” wrote @CtApproximately.
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