Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced an executive order for a statewide investigation into the apparent assassination attempt on former President and GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump at his own golf course in West Palm Beach on Sunday (15).
“We have a strong interest in the state of Florida in bringing this suspect to justice to the fullest extent of the law,” DeSantis said at a press conference on Tuesday (17).
DeSantis said the state attorney’s office would lead the investigation since there appear to be possible violations of the law in multiple counties, and added that the state may bring stronger charges against suspect Ryan Wesley Routh than federal prosecutors.
“The state of Florida has jurisdiction over the most serious and straightforward crime, which is attempted murder,” DeSantis said.
The governor addressed the political landscape during the news conference, saying he has doubts about the ability of federal law enforcement to investigate the threat against Trump.
“In my opinion, it is not in the best interest of our state or our nation to have the same federal agencies that seek to prosecute Donald Trump leading this investigation,” he argued.
The state investigation will be overseen by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who also suggested that criticism of Trump is contributing to threats against him.
Ron DeSantis noted that the investigation will not only focus on pursuing charges against Routh, but also on answering more questions about the case.
“This guy had a history of alerts. I know he was looked at by federal authorities,” DeSantis said. “How did he end up in West Palm Beach, in those bushes?” he asked.
The Republican, who wields executive power unlike any of his predecessors, has leveraged state resources to bring Florida into the national debate, often challenging the federal government or other conservative targets.
It’s a way for DeSantis to maximize his exposure and further his political ambitions.
Steve Contour, from CNN, contributed to this article.
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This content was originally published in Florida Governor announces investigation into apparent attack on Trump on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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