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A federal judge has paused a lawsuit filed in October by then-Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody alleging that the U.S. Department of Justice had improperly prevented the state from investigating an alleged assassination attempt against President Donald Trump.
U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore last week issued an order after Justice Department attorneys filed a motion that said the two sides “have conferred about this case and agree that more time is needed to discuss how best to proceed in this matter.”
The Justice Department originally faced a deadline this week to file a response to the lawsuit, but Moore extended the deadline to April 28.
The motion and the order did not give more explanation, but Trump was elected in November, with the Justice Department now part of his administration.
Also, Moody was appointed this month to the U.S. Senate to replace Marco Rubio, who became Trump’s secretary of state.
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 23, alleged the FBI, which is part of the Justice Department, had blocked state authorities from investigating whether accused gunman Ryan Routh committed violations of state law.
Routh, 58, was spotted in September by a U.S. Secret Service agent hiding with a rifle in shrubbery along Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, ahead of where then-candidate Trump was playing golf.
A Secret Service agent fired at Routh, who fled and was captured after driving away.
Federal officials filed charges against Routh, but Moody contended that a state probe could lead to additional charges, potentially including attempted murder.
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