In response to the second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) asked an important question: how can the public trust the FBI to investigate the incident when the same agency is targeting Trump with political prosecutions?
Governor Ron DeSantis: “In my judgment, it’s not in the best interest of our state or our nation that the same federal agencies that are seeking to prosecute Donald Trump are leading this investigation.”
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) September 17, 2024
Following the assassination attempt, DeSantis has declared that the state of Florida would be conducting its own investigation to ensure that the American people get truthful answers about the incident.
DeSantis posted about the matter in a post on X, writing: “The State of Florida is conducting its own investigation into the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.”
He then pointed out that it “is not in the best interests of our state and nation to have the same federal agencies seeking to prosecute Trump leading this investigation.”
The State of Florida is conducting its own investigation into the second attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. It is not in the best interests of our state and nation to have the same federal agencies seeking to prosecute Trump leading this investigation.
As… pic.twitter.com/l61XCoe0ls
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 17, 2024
Speaking during a press conference, DeSantis highlighted the fact that the charges against the would-be assassin, Democrat activist Ryan Routh, were not nearly enough — as the man is only currently facing two gun charges. Routh was spotted by Secret Service agents hiding in the bushes of Trump’s golf course with a rifle, and had reportedly been lurking there for nearly 12 hours, seemingly waiting for Trump. Secret Service agents fired several shots at Routh, but he was able to flee the scene and was later arrested.
According to DeSantis, “this is an offense that should merit life in prison. And if we’re not going to go to the fullest extent of the law, you’re lowering the threshold which someone in the future may try to try to do something like this.”
He went on to note that “a couple of gun charges” won’t suffice, arguing that Florida is “in a better position … to be able to provide answers to the public.”
DeSantis then pointed out that the FBI has a poor track record of investigating serious incidents like this, citing the lack of clear answers about incidents like the Las Vegas shooting and the first assassination attempt against Trump.
“I think back about what happened in Las Vegas back six, seven years ago, we never got any answers about that,” he said. “I think back about what happened in Butler, Pennsylvania, we’ve not gotten very many answers about that. I think that that really erodes public confidence.”
“I think the Florida agencies working from local on up, have an opportunity to do with their own investigation and then to provide the truth about what’s happening, or what happened and how this came to be … and then delivering the truth about how this could have happened,” he added.
Governor Ron DeSantis Holds Press Conference About Assassination Attempt on Former President Trump https://t.co/C82HzXVBT5
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 17, 2024
