Tony Diver
US Editor
23 September 2024 8:24pm
Donald Trump said charges brought against a gunman who allegedly attempted to shoot him are little more than a “slap on the wrist”.
The former president accused Joe Biden and Kamala Harris of “downplaying” the second attempt on his life on September 15, and called for it to be investigated by Ron DeSantis.
Ryan Routh, who was arrested after the incident, has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
He is accused of launching a premeditated assassination attempt, which was foiled by a US Secret Service agent who spotted Routh lying in shrubbery next to the golf course holding an AK-47 rifle.
On Monday, as Routh appeared in court, prosecutors said he had written a letter offering an unknown person $150,000 to “finish the job” if he failed to assassinate Trump.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said: “The Kamala Harris/Joe Biden Department of Justice and FBI are mishandling and downplaying the second assassination attempt on my life since July.
“The charges brought against the maniac assassin are a slap on the wrist. It’s no wonder, since the DOJ and FBI have been coming after me nonstop with Weaponized Lawfare since I announced my first Historic Campaign for the Presidency.”
He accused the US government of holding a “conflict of Interest since they have been obsessed with ‘Getting Trump’ for so long”.
“It’s very difficult to trust the Biden/Harris DOJ/FBI to investigate the assassination attempts, due to Election Interference and the FAKE CASES brought against me, including their control over local D.A.s and A.G.s.”
Trump added that he thought the assassination attempt should be investigated by Mr DeSantis, the Republican Florida governor, instead of the federal government.
“Florida charges would be much more serious than the ones the FBI has announced,” he said.
“OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT AND DISCREDITED, especially as it pertains to the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. LET FLORIDA HANDLE THE CASE!”
Prosecutor Mark Dispoto said the government will ask a grand jury to bring more serious charges against Mr Routh.
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