Ryan Routh, who was charged with trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a Florida golf course last month, wants his case to be handled by a judge appointed by the president.
In a court filing Thursday, Routh's lawyers asked that U.S. District Judge Eileen Cannon recuse him from the case, citing her dismissal of Trump's classified documents lawsuit.
“Mr. Trump is currently the Republican candidate for next month's presidential election. During his campaign, Mr. Trump has repeatedly praised Your Honor's ruling in this case,” the motion states. “The alleged victim here also has a vested interest in the outcome of this case. If he were to become president in the future, he would nominate your Excellency to serve as a federal judge on the Superior Court that has a vacancy.” He will have authority.”
Routh said the “unprecedented facts and circumstances” of Cannon's appointment and her handling of Special Counsel Jack Smith's lawsuit against Trump could “create an unfair impression in the public's mind.” He claimed to have sex.
Trump assassination attempt suspect Ryan Routh pleads not guilty to additional felonies
Federal Judge Eileen Cannon. (US court)
Smith had indicted Trump on 40 counts of illegally storing classified White House documents after leaving office and obstructing government efforts to retrieve them.
But Cannon dismissed the docket in July, finding that Smith was improperly appointed as special counsel. Mr Smith is appealing his decision.
Lawyers for Routh cite federal recusal laws in their motion and say the “remarkable coincidence” that Cannon was assigned to both cases could give rise to conspiracy theories about the court.
“Given such extremely low probabilities, the public may suspect that Mr. Trump's case was somehow intentionally steered into this court. Such a perception is unlikely to be the result of judicial proceedings. Failure to do so would irreparably damage the integrity of this court as an institution,” the lawyers wrote. .
Trump assassination attempt suspect wrote chilling letter months before golf course project
Ryan Routh is accused of pointing an AK-47 at former President Donald Trump as he played golf at a golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday. This is being investigated as the second assassination attempt against Trump. (Obtained by Fox News Digital)
“To be clear, there is no evidence that this case (or any other case) was assigned in a non-random manner. But conspiracy theories are based on less evidence. Therefore, Recusal It also has the added benefit of preventing people from harboring such conspiracies.'' ”
The filing shows that the prosecution has accepted the defense motion on advice.
Federal judge orders Routh not released for attempted assassination of President Trump
A letter allegedly written by former President Donald Trump assassination suspect Ryan Routh was revealed in a Justice Department detention memo on Monday, September 23, 2024. (Martin County Sheriff's Office/Handout via Reuters | Department of Justice)
Routh suspect Stalked President Trump at Mar-a-Lago A judge and federal prosecutors have revealed that he spent several weeks at a West Palm Beach estate and at the former president's golf course, possibly planning to flee to Mexico.
Routh allegedly waited with a rifle for about 12 hours outside the Trump International Golf Club on September 15 while Trump was playing golf. A Secret Service agent saw Routh pointing a rifle through a fence and opened fire. Routh fled and was arrested the same day.
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He has pleaded not guilty to five charges, including attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate and assaulting a federal employee.
Routh was previously charged with federal charges of possession of a firearm with a scratch-off number and unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon. He was ordered by a federal judge last month to remain in custody.
Fox News Digital's Mollie Markowitz and Fox News' Jake Gibson contributed to this report.
