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Hunter Biden Issues Blistering Response To $1 Billion Lawsuit Threat

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First Lady Melania Trump participates in the Senate Spouses Luncheon at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, May 21,2025. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

Things are about to get ugly…

First Lady Melania Trump is threatening to sue former President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, for $1 billion over “defamatoryโ€ claims linking her toย late financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.

Melaniaโ€™s attorneyย Alejandro Brito demanded that Biden “immediately retract the false, defamatory, disparaging and inflammatory statements made about Mrs. Trump,” which were contained in a video interview with Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan and posted to Youtube in early August.ย 

Read the full letter:

“Failure to comply will leave Mrs. Trump with no choice but to pursue any and all legal rights and remedies available to her to recover the overwhelming financial and reputational harm that you have caused her to suffer,” Brito wrote.

In the video interview, titled “Hunter Biden Returns” video earlier in August, the former first son claimed “Epstein introduced Melania to Trump. The connections are, like, so wide and deep.” 

Biden also claimed that “Jeffrey Epstein introduced Melania, and thatโ€™s how Melania and the first lady and the President met.”

“If you do not comply with the above by August 7, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. EST, Mrs. Trump will be left with no alternative but to enforce her legal and equitable rights, all of which are expressly reserved and are not waived, including by filing legal action for over $1 Billion Dollars in damages,” Brito wrote. “You are on notice.”

A source close to the matter told Fox News that Biden did not comply with the requests by the set deadline.ย 

After Fox News published the piece, however, Melania Trump got Bidenโ€™s reply addressing the attorneyโ€™s letter when Callaghan posted a further interview with him to YouTube on Thursday.

Callaghan, holding up a copy at the interviewโ€™s opening, declared: โ€œThe day of presidential litigation has arrived!โ€

โ€œWeโ€™re here, maybe, to give you the platform to apologize to the first lady for your statements that you made about her possible connection to Jeffrey Epstein,โ€ the host said to Biden.

โ€œF*ck that! Thatโ€™s not going to happen,โ€ Biden laughed.

Defending his comments as citation, Biden continued:

First of all is that, what I said was what I have heard and seen reported and written, primarily from Michael Wolff but also dating back all the way to 2019 when theย New York Timesย โ€“ I thinkย Annie Carneyย and andย Maggie Habermanย โ€“ reported that sources said that Jeffrey Epstein claimed to be the person to introduce Donald Trump to Melania at that time.

Biden added that he would not bow down to pressure or lawsuit threats: โ€œI also think theyโ€™re bullies and they think that a billion dollars is going to scare me.โ€

I have this to say to them: If they want to sit down for a deposition and clarify the the nature of the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein, if the president and the First Lady want to do that and all of the known associates around them at the time of whatever time that they met, Iโ€™m more than happy to provide them the platform to be able to do it.

The letter comes after the Daily Beast pulled the article detailing allegations by journalist Wolff that Melania Trump was introduced to her husband Donald Trump via a modeling agent connected to Epstein, after a challenge from the first ladyโ€™s lawyers.

“Editorโ€™s Note. After this story was published, The Beast received a letter from First Lady Melania Trumpโ€™s attorney challenging the headline and framing of the article. After reviewing the matter, the Beast has taken down the article and apologizes for any confusion or misunderstanding,” The Daily Beast posted in place of the article. The url for the article appears to have been amended to remove the original headline and now reads: thedailybeast.com/epstein-this-story-has-been-removed.

It also comes after famed Democrat strategist James Carville apologized to the first lady after repeating the same claim.ย 

Carville opened his latest episode of theย Politics War Room podcastย with a legal note.ย 

“In last week’s podcast episode, we spoke with Judd Legum,” he said. “After the episode, we received a letter from Melania Trump’s lawyer. He took issue with our title of one of those YouTube videos from that episode and a couple of comments I made about the first lady. We took a look at what they complained about, and we took down the video and edited out those comments from the episode. I also take back these statements and apologize.”

An aide to the first lady, Nick Clemens, toldย Fox Newsย in a statement, “First Lady Melania Trumpโ€™s attorneys are actively ensuring immediate retractions and apologies by those who spread malicious, defamatory falsehoods. The true account of how the First Lady met President Trump is in her best-selling book, โ€˜Melania.โ€™” ย 

Report: Senator Under Federal Criminal Investigation For Alleged Mortgage Fraud

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Photo via Gage Skidmoer Flickr

California Senator Adam Schiff (D) is under criminal investigation.

Fox News host Laura Ingraham broke the news on Tuesday night on “The Ingraham Angle,” saying the source said a criminal investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Attorneyโ€™s Office in Maryland on possible charges involving mortgage fraud.

The investigation comes a month after a story broke about the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) sending a criminal referral to the Department of Justice (DOJ) alleging that Schiff, in multiple instances, falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms.

In a 2011 affidavit signed by the then-California congressman, Schiff certified that a property in Montgomery County, Maryland, is his primary residence.

Schiff also owns a condominium in Burbank, California, which he has also claimed as his primary residence as recently as 2023, during his campaign for Senate.

Fox News reports:

Pulte later received a memo from the Fannie Mae financial crimes investigations concluding that Schiff allegedly engaged in “a sustained pattern of possible occupancy misrepresentation” on five Fannie Mae loans.

Schiff and his wife purchased a home in Potomac, Maryland, in 2003 for $870,000, according to the letter. They entered into a Fannie Mae-backed mortgage agreement for $610,000 at a rate of 5.625% over a term of 30 years, asserting the property would be their primary and principal residence. 

The letter said they reaffirmed that the Maryland home was their primary residence in mortgage refinancing filings in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013, despite Schiff being an elected official representing the state of California at the same time. 

In 2023, the letter notes, a spokesperson for Schiff asserted that, “Adamโ€™s primary residence is Burbank, California, and will remain so when he wins the Senate seat.”

A spokesperson for Schiff in 2023 told CNN that, “Adamโ€™s California and Maryland addresses have been listed as primary residences for loan purposes because they are both occupied throughout the year and to distinguish them from a vacation property.” 

The federal housing official wrote that he believes Schiff’s alleged misconduct could be violations of federal criminal codes banning wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and false statements to financial institutions. 

READ NEXT: Trump Demands Intel CEO Resign Amid China Ties

Former NFL Kicker Dragged Out Of City Council Meeting After Calling MAGA ‘A Nazi Movement’

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Arrest image via Pixabay

Former NFL punterย Chris Kluweย was removed from a California city council meeting by police after a self-described act of โ€œcivil disobedienceโ€ while attacking Donald Trump.

The reason for Kluweโ€™s protest revolved around a sign proposed for Huntington Beachโ€™s public library, which would have the words “Magical,” “Alluring,” “Galvanizing” and “Adventurous” next to each other. The words spell out MAGA.

“Through hope and change our nation has built back better to the golden era of Making America Great Again!” the signage reads.

Video captured Kluwe speaking at the City Council meeting, where he criticized the MAGA movement, which is typically associated withย President Donald Trumpโ€™s campaign message, “Make America Great Again.” He opined that it was “a Nazi movement.”

โ€œIโ€™m gonna take my time to say what MAGA has stood for these past three weeks,โ€ said Kluwe. โ€œMAGA stands for trying to erase trans people from existence. MAGA stands for resegregation and racism. MAGA stands for censorship and book bans. MAGA stands for firing air traffic controllers while planes are crashing. MAGA stands for firing the people overseeing our nuclear arsenal.โ€

โ€œMAGA stands for firing military veterans and those serving them at the VA, including canceling research on veteran suicide,โ€ the former punter added. โ€œMAGA stands for cutting funds for education, including for disabled children. MAGA is profoundly corrupt, unmistakenly anti-democracy, and most importantly, MAGA is explicitly a Nazi movement.โ€

Kluwe then slightly elevated his voice to say, โ€œYou may have replaced a swastika with a red hat, but that is what it is.

“I will now engage in the time-honored American tradition of peaceful civil disobedience,” Kluwe said at the end of his speech to the City Council before walking up to the front where the council members were sitting. 

Video posted by HB Protect on X showed police officers quickly arresting Kluwe, who was face down on the floor with a crowd cheering behind him for his actions. The City Council’s feed cut out before Kluwe was seen rushing the council members.

He was then carried out by three police officers, two of whom holding one arm each and the other carrying the former punterโ€™s legs. 

Kluwe was charged with disrupting an assembly. He told the Orange County Register he was released around four hours after his arrest. He said his belief was that the plaque was more “propaganda” than celebrating the library, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Watch:

Kluwe, 43, played eight years in the NFL, all for the Minnesota Vikings, from 2005-12. 

Report: Alleged Trump Bomber Charged

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Political threats are on the rise…

On Monday, A man pleaded not guilty after he allegedly drove past a security checkpoint and claimed to have an explosive device at a rally for former President Donald Trump in Michigan, last week.

Steven William Nauta was arrested after police say he drove around barricades set up for Trumpโ€™s rally and told police that he had a C4 explosive, WOOD TV 8 reported. According to a court document, Nauta โ€œheld up a bottle to police and stated that it was โ€˜C4โ€™ explosive and that it was the โ€˜real deal.’โ€ After being told to stop by officers, Nauta allegedly โ€œsped offโ€ before stopping and throwing bags of fertilizer on the ground.

The Daily Wire reports:

โ€œWhen (Nauta) finally stopped, he removed bags of fertilizer from his vehicle and threw them on the ground to make it appear that they were explosives while disobeying officersโ€™ commands,โ€ the court document states. The 65-year-old was eventually detained by police, and the man allegedly told officers that he intended to make them believe that he had explosives. Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said there was no active bomb in Nautaโ€™s vehicle.

Nautaโ€™s virtual court appearance from a jail cell was a bizarre scene as the man took his shirt off at one point and made profane hand gestures, according to WOOD TV 8. Nauta was charged with one felony count each of a false report or threat of terrorism, possession of bombs with unlawful intent, third-degree fleeing a police officer, and resulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer.

Kent County, Michigan, District Court Judge Nicholas Christensen set the manโ€™s bond at $1 million, and Nauta replied, โ€œWell, your honor, given my situation, I think Iโ€™m better off just staying in here. Very cruel world out there. Probably a lot better off here.โ€

The judge told Nauta, โ€œItโ€™s not lost on this court here today that your alleged actions were directed to stopping or hindering a fundamental aspect of this countryโ€™s democratic process: a political rally.โ€

The Michigan manโ€™s alleged bomb threat came just two weeks after Secret Service agents apprehended an alleged suspect with a gun near Trump’s golf course. Ryan Routh pleaded not guilty in court on Monday.

The Republican nominee said on Monday that he has requested more Secret Service agents, but alleged that Democrats are โ€œnot giving us the proper number of people within Secret Service that are necessary for Security.โ€

โ€œWe need more Secret Service, and we need them NOW,โ€ Trump wrote. โ€œIt is ELECTION INTERFERENCE that we have to turn away thousands of people from arenas and venues because it is not being provided to us.โ€

Trump Issues Series Of High-Profile Pardons To 2020 Election Allies

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President Donald Trump signs Executive Orders, Thursday, April 17, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Molly Riley)

President Donald Trump has granted full pardons to his former personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani, and several other key figures who were prosecuted for their roles in challenging the 2020 presidential election results โ€” a move the White House called a step toward โ€œnational reconciliation.โ€

In a proclamation posted late Sunday night, U.S. Pardon Attorney Ed Martin listed dozens of individuals granted clemency โ€œfor certain offenses related to the 2020 presidential election.โ€

โ€œThis proclamation ends a grave national injustice perpetrated upon the American people following the 2020 Presidential Election and continues the process of national reconciliation,โ€ the statement reads.

The list includes several prominent names long accused by Democrats and federal prosecutors of contesting the election: Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro, Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, Jenna Ellis, Boris Epshteyn, and others.

Photo via Gage Skidmore Flickr


The proclamation, dated November 7, clarifies that it applies only to federal offenses and does not extend to President Trump himself.

Also included in the sweeping clemency order were Republican activists who had served as fake electors for Trump in 2020, and who faced charges for submitting fraudulent certificates asserting they were the lawful electors, despite former Presidentย Joe Bidenโ€™sย victories in those states.

Those pardoned include Republican activists who had served as alternate electors in 2020 and faced prosecution for asserting that Donald Trump โ€” not Joe Biden โ€” was the rightful winner in their states. Many of these individuals have maintained they were exercising constitutionally protected political activity.

Legal experts noted that the pardons do not affect state-level prosecutions, including ongoing cases in Georgia against several of Trumpโ€™s allies. Critics have long argued that these state prosecutions were politically motivated and part of a broader effort to criminalize dissent.

โ€œThese great Americans were persecuted and put through hell by the Biden Administration for challenging an election, which is the cornerstone of democracy,โ€ said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt in a statement to The Hill.
โ€œGetting prosecuted for challenging results is something that happens in communist Venezuela, not the United States of America, and President Trump is putting an end to the Biden Regimeโ€™s communist tactics once and for all,โ€ she continued.

Giuliani was disbarred from practicing law in New York State and the District of Columbia for making numerous false claims related to the 2020 presidential election. 

Several of those pardoned โ€” including Giuliani and Powell โ€” were instrumental in raising concerns about irregularities and integrity issues in the 2020 race. Giuliani, who was disbarred in New York and Washington, D.C., for questioning the election results, is now fully cleared of federal allegations.

Eastman, a constitutional scholar, and Clark, a former Justice Department official, were also included in the pardons after being unfairly portrayed as conspirators for exploring legal options available to the Trump campaign.

The move comes after Special Counsel Jack Smith dismissed the federal case against President Trump himself, following his reelection. Giuliani, Powell, Clark, and Eastman were previously identified as uncharged co-conspirators in that case.

Giuliani, Powell, Clark and Eastman were alleged co-conspirators in that federal case but were never charged with a federal crime.

Arrest Made In โ€˜Targeted Attackโ€™ At Vegas Tesla Center

One down…

Police have arrested a man in what they called a โ€œtargeted attackโ€ at a Tesla collision center last week.

Officers arrested Paul Kim, 36, on Wednesday on charges including arson and possessing an explosive device.

The fires happened Tuesday, March 18, around 2:45 a.m.

Five vehicles were damaged, including the two engulfed in flames. Police also said they believed the person who set the fires also fired gunshots into the cars.

โ€œHe used what appeared to be multiple Molotov cocktails and firearms to conduct his attack,โ€ Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Asst. Sheriff Dori Koren said during a news conference last week.

The word โ€œresistโ€ was spray-painted on the Tesla centerโ€™s front doors. Police said an unignited Molotov cocktail was found in one of the cars.

Last week, Tesla CEO Elon Muskย referred to the fire as โ€œterrorism.โ€

Other incidents of vandalism have occurred around the country, including two incidents at an Oregon dealership where shots were fired and Molotov cocktails thrown at a dealership.

A 41-year-old man faces charges for those incidents.

Earlier this month, authorities responded to multiple Tesla superchargers being set ablaze in Massachusetts. (RELATED: Trump Hater Accidentally Sets Himself On Fire While Trying To Destroy Tesla Station)

A total of seven chargers were damaged, police said. 

Attorney General Pam Bondi officially labeled the recent vandalism targeting Tesla dealerships and cars as โ€œdomestic terrorism.โ€

โ€œThe swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism. The Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind, including in cases that involve charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences,โ€ Bondi said in a statement released Tuesday

โ€œWe will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes,โ€ the attorney general said. 

Trump Orders Reopening Of Alcatraz Prison

By kevinmcgill from Den Bosch, Netherlands - KAM_8466, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31689361

On Sunday, President Trumpย said that he wants to reopen the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, theย historic prison offshoreย from San Francisco that closed more than 60 years ago.

โ€œFor too long, America has been plagued by vicious, violent, and repeat Criminal Offenders, the dregs of society, who will never contribute anything other than Misery and Suffering. When we were a more serious Nation, in times past, we did not hesitate to lock up the most dangerous criminals, and keep them far away from anyone they could harm,โ€ Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

โ€œThatโ€™s the way itโ€™s supposed to be. No longer will we tolerate these Serial Offenders who spread filth, bloodshed, and mayhem on our streets. That is why, today, I am directing the Bureau of Prisons, together with the Department of Justice, FBI, and Homeland Security, to reopen a substantially enlarged and rebuilt ALCATRAZ, to house Americaโ€™s most ruthless and violent Offenders,โ€ he added.

The island, which sits less than 2 miles offshore, was first developed in the mid-19th century, with the original structures including a lighthouse.

Notableย figures includingย Al Caponeย and George โ€œMachine Gunโ€ Kelly were once held at Alcatraz, whichย was a federal prison fromย 1934-63.ย 

โ€œBoth the institution and the men confined within its walls reflect our society during this era,โ€ the National Park Service adds on a web page about the prison, which was also known as The Rock and gave that name to a popular Michael Bay action film set on the island.

In his Sunday post, Trump said Alcatrazโ€™s โ€œreopeningโ€ is going to โ€œserve as a symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.โ€

The Bureau of Prisons notes on its website that โ€œUSP [United States Penitentiary] Alcatraz closed after 29 years of operationโ€ due to soaring costs.

โ€œAn estimated $3-5 million was needed just for restoration and maintenance work to keep the prison open. That figure did not include daily operating costs โ€” Alcatraz was nearly three times more expensive to operate than any other Federal prison,โ€ the bureau says.

The move comes as the Trump administration has also sought to revitalize Guantanamo Bay and use it to house illegal migrants.

The plan has faced roadblocks, however, with a federal court issuing a temporary restraining order blocking theย Trump administrationย from sending three Venezuelan immigrants held in New Mexico to the Guantรกnamo Bay, Cuba, detention camp.

Lawyers for the trio said in a legal filing that the detainees โ€œfit the profile of those the administration has prioritized for detention in Guantรกnamo, i.e. Venezuelan men detained in the El Paso area with (false) charges of connections with the Tren de Aragua gang.โ€

Rosie O’Donnell Asks For Prayers As Daughter Chelsea Faces ‘Scary Future’ In Prison

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By David Shankbone - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3937757

TV personality Rosie Oโ€™Donnell is appealing for prayers as her daughter Chelsea faces what she calls a โ€œscary future.โ€

Oโ€™Donnell posted on Instagram: โ€œMy child Chelsea Belle โ€“ before addiction took over her life โ€“ I loved her then, I love her now as she faces a scary future โ€“ prayers welcomed. #addiction awareness #love #family.โ€

According to court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital, Chelsea had her probation revoked on October 22 and was sentenced to serve time in prison.

In a written statement, Oโ€™Donnell said, โ€œI have compassion for those struggling with addiction โ€” Chelsea was born into addiction and it has been a painful journey for her and her four young children. We continue to love and support her through these horrible times. Prayers welcomed.โ€

Last year, authorities charged Chelsea with two counts of felony possession of methamphetamine and felony possession of narcotic drugs, along with two counts of possession/illegally obtaining prescription drugs and resisting or obstructing an officer. Her arrest followed a traffic stop in Niagara, Wisconsin, where officers pulled over a vehicle for loud exhaust โ€” they recovered a clear smoking device on Chelseaโ€™s person that tested positive for methamphetamine, and a prescription pill bottle containing a handful of pills and a crystal-like substance was found in her possession. At the time, Chelsea was out on bond for separate charges including child neglect and drug possession.

Oโ€™Donnellโ€™s Instagram post on December 3 responding to Chelseaโ€™s earlier arrest read: โ€œSo yes this is true โ€“ after being bailed out by her birth mother โ€“ Chelsea was arrested again โ€“ and is facing many charges related to her drug addiction โ€“ we all hope she is able to get the help she needs to turn her life around.โ€


Bring in the Trump context

Itโ€™s worth noting that Rosie Oโ€™Donnell has for years been a vocal critic of Donald Trump, and the public feud between them has become almost legendary. Back in December 2006, while hosting the daytime talk show The View, Oโ€™Donnell called Trump out over his handling of the Miss USA controversy and mocked him as no moral authority for young people โ€” saying, โ€œThis is not a self-made manโ€ฆ left the first wife, had an affair, left the second wife, had an affairโ€ฆโ€ People.com+2The List+2

Trump responded with scorn, calling Oโ€™Donnell โ€œa woman out of controlโ€ and a โ€œloser,โ€ threatening legal action though he never followed through. People.com+1 Over the years he repeatedly used her name as a punchline โ€” during the 2016 Republican primary debate when asked about his language toward women he quipped, โ€œOnly Rosie Oโ€™Donnell.โ€ The New Daily+1

In recent years their feud escalated further: After Oโ€™Donnell announced she had moved to Ireland following Trumpโ€™s second inauguration (January 2025), Trump publicly floated the idea of revoking her U.S. citizenship, calling her โ€œa Threat to Humanityโ€ and saying โ€œshe should remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her.โ€

Suspect In Tesla Arson Attacks Facing 40 Years In Prison

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He’s done…

A man linked to arson attacks at the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom and the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) headquarters is facing 40 years behind bars after being indicted this week.

On February 9, two Tesla vehicles were damaged in an arson attack at the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom. The building was also damaged that day with graffiti reading โ€œTelsa Nazi Inc.,โ€ as well as swastika symbols spray-painted in red and black paint on the showroomโ€™s exterior walls.

Nearly two months later on March 30, Albuquerqueโ€™s RPNM office was damaged in an arson attack which damaged the entrance. At both scenes, investigators located matching glass containers of improvised flammable mixtures with distinctive green lids.

Wagner was linked to the fires through surveillance footage, along with video of a white Hyundai Accent and matching scene evidence, federal investigators said.

Agents from the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) raided Wagnerโ€™s house in Albuquerque on April 12.

There, investigators reported finding assembled fire-starting devices, ingredients matching the flammable mixtures found at the scene, a jar with a similar green lid, black and red spray paint, and a stencil bearing the phrase โ€œICE=KKK,โ€ which matched the graffiti sprayed at the RPNM headquarters.

Wagner now faces two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire, and will stay in custody while he awaits his detention hearing on April 16. If convicted, Wagner faces between five and twenty years behind bars for each count.

โ€œAll of these cases are a serious threat to public safety, therefore there will be no negotiating. We are seeking 20 years in prison,โ€ said Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who had previously labeled vandalism of Tesla dealerships to beย โ€œdomestic terrorism.โ€

โ€œLet this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,โ€ Bondi said. โ€œWe will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.

โ€œHurling firebombs is not political protest,โ€ Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche added. โ€œIt is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent.

Report: New Charges Filed Against Attempted Trump Assassin

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Donald Trump via Gage Skidmore Flickr

The state of Florida charged Ryan Wesley Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President-elect Trump at one of his Florida golf courses, with attempted felony murder, Florida Attorney Generalย Ashley Moodyย announced Wednesday.

The charge stems from Routhโ€™s attempt to escape law enforcement following the alleged assassination attempt. Moody said that when Routh fled the scene, law enforcement shut down traffic, which caused an accident that nearly killed a young girl. 

โ€œAs a result of that, we felt compelled to seek justice on her behalf and her family that will never be the same as they cope with her injuries,โ€ the state attorney general said.

In her announcement, Moody said state law enforcement received a โ€œlack of cooperation and supportโ€ from federal officials investigating the alleged assassination attempt. She accused them of blocking access to the crime scene, evidence and witness interviews, and said when the state expressed interest in charging Routh over the girlโ€™s injuries, it was discouraged from doing so.

โ€œIt was made known that they intended to shut down our investigation and invoke federal jurisdiction in doing so,โ€ she said, adding that Florida authorities decided to continue their investigation regardless.

Routh is accused by federal prosecutors of plotting to kill Trump as he golfed earlier this year, staking out the perimeter of the president-electโ€™s course near its sixth hole for about 12 hours until he was noticed and fled.

He faces five charges, including counts saying he attempted to assassinate a major political candidate while possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number despite being a convicted felon, and has pleaded not guilty.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.