Federal prosecutors revealed that the man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at his Florida golf club had stalked Trump for a month and left a note offering $150,000 to anyone who could “finish the job.” The note criticized Trump’s Middle East policy, specifically the Iran nuclear deal. Cell phone records placed the suspect, Ryan Routh, near Trump’s properties in the weeks leading up to the attempted assassination. Law enforcement found a list of dates and venues where Trump was expected to appear in Routh’s car.
The FBI is investigating the incident as an assassination attempt, following a previous attempt in Pennsylvania. Florida’s Republican state Attorney General, Ashley Moody, is challenging the FBI’s jurisdiction in the investigation, arguing that Florida authorities should handle the case because Trump is a Florida resident. Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed an executive order assigning the investigation to the Office of Statewide Prosecutor.
Trump criticized the Department of Justice and FBI for mishandling the situation and accused them of downplaying the assassination attempts. He stated that if the federal government does not act, Florida is prepared to take the lead on the investigation and prosecution. Routh has been charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and faces up to 20 years in prison.
The new court filing came ahead of Routh’s court appearance on Monday in the Southern District of Florida. Prosecutors presented evidence of Routh’s intentions and actions leading up to the assassination attempt, shedding light on the seriousness of the situation.
Source
Photo credit georgiarecorder.com