Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken decisive action following the apparent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course. DeSantis announced an executive order to launch a state investigation into the incident, emphasizing the state's strong interest in bringing the suspect to justice.
During a news conference, DeSantis stated that the Office of Statewide Prosecution would lead the investigation due to potential law violations in multiple counties. He highlighted that the state of Florida has jurisdiction over the most serious offense, which is attempted murder, and may be able to file stronger charges against the suspect than federal prosecutors.
Expressing doubts about the fairness of federal law enforcement in investigating the threat to Trump, DeSantis asserted that it was not in the best interest of the state or the nation to have federal agencies prosecuting Trump leading the investigation. The state investigation will be overseen by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, who also raised concerns about the threats against Trump and the unprecedented focus on him.
DeSantis emphasized that the investigation would not only focus on pursuing charges against the suspect but also on uncovering more details about the case. He questioned how the suspect, who had raised red flags and been on the radar of federal law enforcement, ended up in West Palm Beach in an attempt on Trump's life.
