Florida Says DOJ Blocks Probe Into Trump Assassination (1)

The Justice Department is illegally pushing Florida to drop its investigation into a recent assassination attempt against Donald Trump, Florida said in a lawsuit Wednesday.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has filed a lawsuit in a Florida federal court against the United States Attorney General. Merrick Garland asking a judge to block the federal government from obstructing the Florida investigation while the DOJ is also investigating the incident.

After the governor. Ron DeSantis (R) ordered Florida law enforcement to investigate and prosecute a gunman who shot the former president in Florida, FBI officials said Florida must suspend its investigation, the complaint states. DOJ officials told Florida it could not interview witnesses and could only cooperate with the federal investigation, the complaint says.

The FBI and Justice Department said federal law, 18 USC§ 351(f), requires a state to suspend jurisdiction over the assassination of a presidential candidate when the federal government asserts jurisdiction over such a case, the Florida complaint says. The law governs prosecutions for attempted political assassinations.

“Because Section 351(f) does not prohibit such conduct, and because it would violate the Tenth Amendment if reached to this point, Florida is suing to assert its sovereign interest in investigating violations of state law,” the complaint states.

The Tenth Amendment prohibits the federal government from “commandeering” states in this manner, Florida claims.

Florida seeks a declaration that Sec. 351(f) does not prohibit its investigation or that, as applied here, the law is unconstitutional. Florida is also seeking an injunction prohibiting the DOJ from impeding the state’s investigation.

Ryan Routh was charged with attempted murder of a major presidential candidate in a Sept. 24 federal indictment after he was found hiding in the bushes at Trump’s Florida golf course.

A DOJ spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The case is Florida v. Garland, SD Fla., No. 2:24-cv-14348, complaint filed 10/23/24.