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topicnews · October 6, 2024

Opinion: Politics plays a role in the Trump murder investigation

Opinion: Politics plays a role in the Trump murder investigation

Bill Cotterell
| Capitol Column

If there’s one thing the investigation into attempts on former President Donald Trump’s life didn’t need, it’s a political dispute between the federal government and the state of Florida.

Of course, that’s what happened in the last few weeks of this hot election campaign.

Eager to remain relevant even while out of office for half of the next four years, Gov. Ron DeSantis immediately ordered the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct its own investigation into Ryan Routh’s failed attempt to challenge Trump against the Republican presidential nominee to target Palm Beach County Golf Course. Trump expressed support for the government investigation, which also involves the Florida Highway Patrol and Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” the officers said. They charged Routh with possession of a firearm by a felon and marking a weapon with its serial number. A few days later, they added charges of attempted murder of Trump, assault on a federal officer and possession of a firearm to commit a crime of violence.

But DeSantis and Moody believe the state can get even tougher.

It is understandable that Trump did not trust the US Department of Justice or the FBI to tell him his start time. Those authorities, along with prosecutors in New York and Atlanta, have made a concerted effort in recent years to send him to prison. And although the Secret Service stopped Routh last month, his performance in the first Trump assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, inspires little confidence.

“If the DOJ and FBI cannot do their jobs honestly and impartially and hold the would-be assassin accountable to the fullest extent of the law, Governor Ron DeSantis and the State of Florida have already agreed to take the lead in the investigation and prosecution . ” Trump wrote on his Truth Social website. “The charges in Florida would be much more serious than what the FBI has announced. Let Florida handle the case.”

In an interview with Fox News, DeSantis told Laura Ingraham that federal agents stopped state troopers at the fence line at Trump International Golf Club. DeSantis said “they are not being cooperative” and “do not want the state of Florida involved in this.”

Perhaps. Turf protection and jealousy between authorities are nothing new, especially when a case involves international news with partisan political aspects. It would have been surprising if DeSantis had expressed confidence in the capabilities and integrity of the Biden administration.

There’s a lot to figure out, beyond the 12-hour surveillance of a disturbed man in the bushes near Trump’s golf course. For example, how did Routh finance his trips from Hawaii to Ukraine and finally to West Palm Beach? Where was he driving on Interstate 95 without knowing that a witness had taken a photo of his license plate and called the police?

You don’t have to be a conspiracy buff or social media troll to want answers. But you would have to be terribly naive to dismiss the political aspects of this.

DeSantis was laughed at by Florida Democrats, who had fun mocking him after his presidential campaign failed earlier this year. Nevertheless, he is young and is admired on the right-wing fringe of his party.

DeSantis recently launched a committee called Restore Our Nation — “Ron, get it?” — to raise money and support conservative Republicans across the country, get his name out there and collect political IOUs from candidates for everything from Congress to to school authorities.

When he leaves the governor’s office in a few years, he will be a sought-after speaker and interview guest, perhaps not drawing the attention he enjoyed as governor, but still a prominent celebrity in a shallow post-Trump Republican field is.

Think of Ronald Reagan 1974 to 1976.

Moody, meanwhile, is seen as the likely Republican candidate to succeed DeSantis as governor. If Sean Hannity, Ingraham and the other Fox hosts want an interview in Florida about the Trump assassination attempt, she’ll probably be second on their speed dial – right after DeSantis.

Winston Churchill, who knew about emergencies, once advised: “Never let a good crisis go to waste.” There are always lessons to be learned from it, which later translate into improvements….”

Certainly no one wanted an attack on Trump. But we can be sure that smart politicians like the governor and attorney general of Florida will seize this opportunity.

Bill Cotterell is a retired Capitol reporter for United Press International and the Tallahassee Democrat. He can be reached at [email protected]

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