OCT 2025. Blues Vol 41 No.10

AROUND THE

AROUND THE COUNTRYWASHINGTON, D.C.Jury convicts man of attempted assassination ofpresident Donald J. Trump and assault of a federallaw enforcement officer.A federal jury today convictedRyan Wesley Routh, 59, of Hawaii,for attempting to assassinate PresidentDonald J. Trump when he wasa major presidential candidate in aplanned sniper attack at Trump InternationalGolf Club in West PalmBeach, Florida.“This verdict sends a clear message.An attempt to assassinate apresidential candidate is an attackon our Republic and on therights of every citizen,” said DeputyAttorney General Todd Blanche.“The Department of Justice willrelentlessly pursue those who tryto silence political voices, and noenemy, foreign or domestic, willever silence the will of the Americanpeople. I want to thank andcongratulate the trial team and ourlaw enforcement partners for theiroutstanding work and dedication inbringing this case to justice.”“Ryan Routh’s attempted assassinationof President Trump wasa disgusting act — mere weeksbefore an election and only monthsafter a separate assassination attemptcame dangerously close tosucceeding,” said FBI Director KashPatel. “FBI teams worked quicklyand diligently with local partnersand the Department of Justice todemonstrate a clear fact pattern ofRouth’s planning and intent, and weare grateful to see a quick resolution.The FBI will continue workingaggressively to take violent offendersoff American streets and protectpublic officials from threats of allnature.”“There are few crimes moreserious than attempting to assassinatea President or former Presidentof the United States, for suchan act strikes at the very heart ofour Nation and our democracy,”said Assistant Attorney General forNational Security John A. Eisenberg.“The evidence was clear – a loadedrifle with its serial number obliterated,a backpack and gear foundin the woods near Trump International,cellphone records placingthe defendant at the scene, and aletter confessing intent – all pointingto a chilling attempt to assassinatethen former-President Trump.Today’s jury verdict is a resoundingrejection of political violence anda reminder of how perilously closewe came to a tragedy of historicproportions.”“Today’s jury verdict delivers justice.What Routh did was objectivelyevil — an attempt not only to takea life, but to rob Americans of theirright to vote and to silence freespeech. This was nothing less thanan attempted assassination of botha man and the democratic voicehe represented,” said U.S. AttorneyJason A. Reding Quiñones for theSouthern District of Florida. “Wehave seen over the past decade howpolitical violence — from the assassinationof Charlie Kirk to threatsmeant to silence conservativevoices — has poisoned our publicsquare. Such violence is un-American.It is an assault on every oneof us, no matter our politics. TheSouthern District of Florida willrelentlessly pursue those who try tosteal our freedoms, and we will ensurethat the rule of law — not fear,not violence — prevails.”50 The BLUES OCTOBER ‘25

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