Man accused of second attempted Trump assassination pleads not guilty

The suspect. Ryan Routh is only facing weapons charges because he didn't fire any shots at the former president. And we're learning through social media that Routh is very vocal about politics and critical of politicians regardless of their party. That's Ryan Wesley Routh standing outside the US Capitol more than *** year ago. The picture from *** linkedin post. Ralph also posted *** picture of himself in Ukraine's capital. *** self proclaimed human rights and political activist, Ralph lived in North Carolina most of his life, working as *** contractor and owning *** roofing business. He moved to Hawaii in 2018 where he owns *** business with one of his sons that builds storage units and tiny houses in Hawaii. Ralph was on Twitter writing in his profile quote, I feel lucky to have been born in America with freedom and opportunity and hope that I do not waste such *** valuable thing. The national investigative unit recovered hundreds of posts from his now removed account some in 2020 showing he was supporting Bernie Sanders. Another tweet saying he supported Donald Trump in 2016. His voting record shows he's unaffiliated and in recent years. His social media posts support Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on X Ralph once invited North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to come on vacation in Hawaii in hopes of building *** friendly bond between the dictator and Americans. More recently, he publicly tried to recruit volunteer soldiers to go overseas. His phone line for recruits still active sending soldiers to Ukraine as well as Taiwan. If you like to volunteer, please send me *** message. Routh went to Ukraine in 2022 to aid in its defense against Russia's invasion. But Ukraine's international legion confirmed with CNN. Routh was never part of the military there or *** confirmed volunteer long before his arrest Sunday in Florida. Ralph had *** deep criminal history dating back to 1998. In 2002, he faced firearm charges including one charge of possessing *** weapon of mass destruction, which *** local newspaper article said was *** machine gun during *** traffic stop and standoff. However, 11 years prior in 1991 Routh won *** law enforcement Oscar and was regarded as *** super citizen for helping catch *** suspected rapist and aiding with the investigation. In addition to criminal cases, we also found civil cases mostly against Ralph because of his business ventures. Most of that was clients not satisfied with his work in Washington, helping you get the facts. I'm national investigative correspondent John Cardelli.

Updated: 11:15 AM CDT Sep 30, 2024

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Man accused of second attempted Trump assassination pleads not guilty

Updated: 11:15 AM CDT Sep 30, 2024

Editorial Standards ⓘ

The man who prosecutors say stalked Donald Trump in Florida over the course of a month before setting up what they called a “sniper’s nest” on the fence bordering the former president’s West Palm Beach golf course has pleaded not guilty to attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate.Ryan Wesley Routh faces five charges including the assassination attempt, gun charges and assaulting an officer. He pleaded not guilty to each charge in federal court.Routh appeared in tan prison scrubs and wore glasses at times during the brief hearing. He told the judge he understood the charges against him.Armed with a Soviet-designed rifle between two bags packed with bulletproof plates, prosecutors say Routh had a clear shot of the 6th hole green when Trump was golfing that Sunday afternoon.The former president was minutes away from Routh’s line of sight, prosecutors alleged during a detention hearing last week.Routh was allegedly spotted by a Secret Service agent who was running surveillance ahead of Trump. When the agent saw the barrel of a rifle move, the officer opened fire then ducked behind a tree to reload. Routh allegedly fled the area in a car and was arrested by local police less than an hour later on a nearby highway.Unlike Thomas Matthew Crooks, who shot Trump during a campaign rally in July, investigators have found a wealth of information allegedly on Routh and what may have been the motivation behind the alleged attempted assassination.One piece of information prosecutors have cited is a letter Routh allegedly left with a witness who came forward after Routh was arrested.“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you,” Routh allegedly wrote. “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”Trump “ended relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled,” the letter says.Routh also wrote a self-published book in which he told Iran, “You are free to assassinate Trump as well as me for that error in judgment and the dismantling of” the Iran nuclear deal.When arguing for his detention pending an outcome in the case, which was ultimately granted, prosecutors said Routh has been arrested over 100 times – many of which were because of traffic violations – and that his travels to Ukraine and Taiwan show that he’s able slip across borders.Routh’s case has been randomly assigned to Judge Aileen Cannon, the federal judge who dismissed criminal classified document mishandling charges against Trump earlier this year after his attorneys argued that special counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully assigned to oversee the investigation and prosecution of Trump.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —

Ryan Wesley Routh faces five charges including the assassination attempt, gun charges and assaulting an officer. He pleaded not guilty to each charge in federal court.

Routh appeared in tan prison scrubs and wore glasses at times during the brief hearing. He told the judge he understood the charges against him.

Armed with a Soviet-designed rifle between two bags packed with bulletproof plates, prosecutors say Routh had a clear shot of the 6th hole green when Trump was golfing that Sunday afternoon.

The former president was minutes away from Routh’s line of sight, prosecutors alleged during a detention hearing last week.

Routh was allegedly spotted by a Secret Service agent who was running surveillance ahead of Trump. When the agent saw the barrel of a rifle move, the officer opened fire then ducked behind a tree to reload. Routh allegedly fled the area in a car and was arrested by local police less than an hour later on a nearby highway.

Unlike Thomas Matthew Crooks, who shot Trump during a campaign rally in July, investigators have found a wealth of information allegedly on Routh and what may have been the motivation behind the alleged attempted assassination.

One piece of information prosecutors have cited is a letter Routh allegedly left with a witness who came forward after Routh was arrested.

“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you,” Routh allegedly wrote. “I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.”

Trump “ended relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled,” the letter says.

Routh also wrote a self-published book in which he told Iran, “You are free to assassinate Trump as well as me for that error in judgment and the dismantling of” the Iran nuclear deal.

When arguing for his detention pending an outcome in the case, which was ultimately granted, prosecutors said Routh has been arrested over 100 times – many of which were because of traffic violations – and that his travels to Ukraine and Taiwan show that he’s able slip across borders.

Routh’s case has been randomly assigned to Judge Aileen Cannon, the federal judge who dismissed criminal classified document mishandling charges against Trump earlier this year after his attorneys argued that special counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully assigned to oversee the investigation and prosecution of Trump.

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