Why Florida is suing the Justice Department over Trump’s assassination attempt

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida filed a lawsuit Wednesday to stop the U.S. Department of Justice from blocking a state investigation Second assassination attempt about Donald Trump.

Just two days after the Palm Beach County shooting, Gov. Ron DeSantis said signed an executive order on Sept. 17 to launch a state-level investigation.

“Almost immediately, however, federal officials began taking steps to stop the state’s investigation,” says the lawsuit against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Florida officials were told they were not allowed to interview witnesses and could only cooperate with the federal investigation, the lawsuit says. Justice Department officials pointed to federal law that says an attempted murder of a political candidate should be investigated by the FBI and that state jurisdiction is suspended if the federal government intervenes, the complaint said.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said federal officials told state investigators that they would have to suspend their criminal investigation into the attempted murder because a provision of the law was being used to prosecute suspect Ryan Routh.

Read the full lawsuit below:

Moody said that under that provision, Florida cannot conduct its own investigation until federal prosecutions are complete.

Florida’s attorney general claims the policy violates the 10th Amendment, which protects state governments from federal overreach.

“The state of Florida has made clear that a two-pronged investigation would be in the best interest of all involved,” Moody said in a statement. “It is not lost on us that the American people have concerns about federal authorities focusing exclusively on this matter while simultaneously investigating and attempting to prosecute President Trump. Given that the Department of Justice is preventing our independent investigation from proceeding, we have filed suit to ensure that Florida can take appropriate action to enforce its laws.”

Florida says it is suing to “justify its sovereign interest in investigating violations of state law because delays can affect the outcome of a prosecution.”

Routh, who was arrested by Martin County officials along Interstate 95 shortly after the incident, faces charges including attempted murder of a presidential candidate.

He was not charged in state court and pleaded not guilty.

The Justice Department declined to comment on Florida’s lawsuit.

Prosecutors said Routh outlined his plans to kill Trump in a letter handwritten note months before his arrest. Routh’s note called his actions a failed “assassination attempt on Donald Trump” and offered $150,000 to anyone who could “finish the job.” This note was in a box that Routh had apparently dropped off at the home of an unknown witness months before his arrest.

Routh is should be brought to justice in Fort Pierce in February.

The incident happened two months later Trump was shot and injured in the ear in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service has admitted failings However, leading up to that shooting, he said security forces had worked properly to thwart the attempted attack in Florida.