Florida’s Republican leadership offered a mostly restrained response to Saturday’s assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump, although U.S. Sen. Rick Scott called for swift Senate hearings into how it was allowed to happen.
Scott wants the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to convene on the matter before the end of the month “to demand answers from [the Department of Homeland Security] and the U.S. Secret Service on how this happened and what steps are being taken to investigate this assassination attempt and make sure it never happens again,” he said in a written statement.
“It is a miracle that President Trump is alive and well but absolutely inexcusable that the deranged would-be assassin had a direct line of sight to the former president and the leading candidate for President of the United States,” he continued.
“Chairman Gary Peters must immediately hold a … hearing, before August 1st, with testimony from these agencies and deliver the answers that we as U.S. senators and the American people demand and deserve from our government. The security of our Republic is being questioned and we as a nation need answers.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, meanwhile, expressed concern for the former president. He, too, demanded answers.
“.@CaseyDeSantis and I are praying for Donald Trump and his family,” the governor said on his X account.
“It is great that President Trump is doing well. It is sad beyond measure that a rally attendee was killed and that others were wounded. The American people deserve answers about how this could have happened, as well as information about the assassin,” he said on a separate X account.
DeSantis took a harder line later.
“Biden tells us to trust the bureaucracy to investigate the assassin’s motive. But the feds categorized the crazed, leftist congressional baseball shooter as “suicide by cop” — even though the shooter had a well-documented left-wing political bent and made sure that the players on the field were Republicans before attacking,” he wrote.
“And there does need to be an investigation regarding the security protocols used in Butler. The answer to the following question must be provided in short order: how did someone, armed with a rifle, get on top of a roof 150 yards away from the stage? DC bureaucratic failures almost never result in any accountability; this time needs be to be different. Our country is in the peril it’s in partly because the DC ruling class has consistently evaded responsibility for its failures.”
‘Instant chills’
Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody’s response was similarly muted. on X, she wrote: “Trump injured at rally in Pennsylvania. Praying for President Trump, his family and our entire nation.”
Jimmy Patronis, the Republican state chief financial officer, meanwhile, blamed Democrats. He expressed thanks that Trump wasn’t seriously injured. “To have taken an attack like this, he got back up as soon as he could, and immediately engaged the crows telling them to ‘fight.’ Instant chills,” he wrote.
Then he added: [T]he people who hate Trump, who have created the type of environment to make this attack possible, should be ashamed of themselves. Joe Biden and every elected Democrat must condemn this assassination attempt to fullest extent possible.”
“This is an attack on who we are as Americans. All of us. With more resolve than ever before, we will stand with President Trump to Make America Great Again,” wrote Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, also a Republican.
U.S. Rep Matt Gaetz, the Republican U.S. representative from the Panhandle, predicted the attack would rev up GOP voters.
“President Trump is determined to save this country from the path of ruin that we are on. No politician in our country’s history has ever faced these kinds of efforts to stop him,” Gaetz wrote on X.
“They tried to impeach him. They are trying to imprison him. Now, they have tried to assassinate him. Every time they do this, the American people become more committed to the vision for the country that he has for our success and our prosperity.”
‘Praying for him’
“We thank God that @realDonaldTrump appears safe and survived today’s assassination attempt. Our whole family is praying for him now and in the days ahead. President Trump’s determination was on full display after the attack. Make no mistake: Democracy will not be deterred!” Republican Florida House Speaker Paul Renner wrote.
“I am praying for President Trump and our nation. Thankful for the Secret Service officers and law enforcement who responded quickly,” wrote Kathleen Passidomo, the Republican president of the Florida Senate.
Marco Rubio, Florida’s Republican senior U.S. senator, complained on X that some initial news reports played down the nature of the attack but also said, “Praying for President Trump and all those attending the rally in Pennsylvania today,” adding, “God protected President Trump.”
The Florida Democratic Party condemned the attack.
riod. The Florida Democratic Party unequivocally condemns today’s violence and thanks the Secret Service, law enforcement, and first responders for their swift response,” the party posted on X.
“Political violence has no room in our democracy. I thank the Secret Service and first responders for their quick action in protecting former President Trump. We must condemn all forms of violence and encourage using our voices, not weapons, in times of disagreement,” state House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell wrote.
“Violence has no place in our democracy. Regardless of who you support or what you believe, we must resolve our differences at the ballot box — never through violent attacks. Praying for the former president,” state Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book wrote.
“Political violence is wrong and never the answer. We should all be committed to community safety regardless of politics,” state Rep. Anna Eskamani added.
This story has been updated to include a fresh quote from Gov. DeSantis.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: [email protected]. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
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Scott wants the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to convene on the matter before the end of the month “to demand answers from [the Department of Homeland Security] and the U.S. Secret Service on how this happened and what steps are being taken to investigate this assassination attempt and make sure it never happens again,” he said in a written statement.
“It is a miracle that President Trump is alive and well but absolutely inexcusable that the deranged would-be assassin had a direct line of sight to the former president and the leading candidate for President of the United States,” he continued.
“Chairman Gary Peters must immediately hold a … hearing, before August 1st, with testimony from these agencies and deliver the answers that we as U.S. senators and the American people demand and deserve from our government. The security of our Republic is being questioned and we as a nation need answers.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, meanwhile, expressed concern for the former president. He, too, demanded answers.
“.@CaseyDeSantis and I are praying for Donald Trump and his family,” the governor said on his X account.
“It is great that President Trump is doing well. It is sad beyond measure that a rally attendee was killed and that others were wounded. The American people deserve answers about how this could have happened, as well as information about the assassin,” he said on a separate X account.
DeSantis took a harder line later.
“Biden tells us to trust the bureaucracy to investigate the assassin’s motive. But the feds categorized the crazed, leftist congressional baseball shooter as “suicide by cop” — even though the shooter had a well-documented left-wing political bent and made sure that the players on the field were Republicans before attacking,” he wrote.
“And there does need to be an investigation regarding the security protocols used in Butler. The answer to the following question must be provided in short order: how did someone, armed with a rifle, get on top of a roof 150 yards away from the stage? DC bureaucratic failures almost never result in any accountability; this time needs be to be different. Our country is in the peril it’s in partly because the DC ruling class has consistently evaded responsibility for its failures.”
‘Instant chills’
Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody’s response was similarly muted. on X, she wrote: “Trump injured at rally in Pennsylvania. Praying for President Trump, his family and our entire nation.”
Jimmy Patronis, the Republican state chief financial officer, meanwhile, blamed Democrats. He expressed thanks that Trump wasn’t seriously injured. “To have taken an attack like this, he got back up as soon as he could, and immediately engaged the crows telling them to ‘fight.’ Instant chills,” he wrote.
Then he added: [T]he people who hate Trump, who have created the type of environment to make this attack possible, should be ashamed of themselves. Joe Biden and every elected Democrat must condemn this assassination attempt to fullest extent possible.”
“This is an attack on who we are as Americans. All of us. With more resolve than ever before, we will stand with President Trump to Make America Great Again,” wrote Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, also a Republican.
U.S. Rep Matt Gaetz, the Republican U.S. representative from the Panhandle, predicted the attack would rev up GOP voters.
“President Trump is determined to save this country from the path of ruin that we are on. No politician in our country’s history has ever faced these kinds of efforts to stop him,” Gaetz wrote on X.
“They tried to impeach him. They are trying to imprison him. Now, they have tried to assassinate him. Every time they do this, the American people become more committed to the vision for the country that he has for our success and our prosperity.”
‘Praying for him’
“We thank God that @realDonaldTrump appears safe and survived today’s assassination attempt. Our whole family is praying for him now and in the days ahead. President Trump’s determination was on full display after the attack. Make no mistake: Democracy will not be deterred!” Republican Florida House Speaker Paul Renner wrote.
“I am praying for President Trump and our nation. Thankful for the Secret Service officers and law enforcement who responded quickly,” wrote Kathleen Passidomo, the Republican president of the Florida Senate.
Marco Rubio, Florida’s Republican senior U.S. senator, complained on X that some initial news reports played down the nature of the attack but also said, “Praying for President Trump and all those attending the rally in Pennsylvania today,” adding, “God protected President Trump.”
The Florida Democratic Party condemned the attack.
riod. The Florida Democratic Party unequivocally condemns today’s violence and thanks the Secret Service, law enforcement, and first responders for their swift response,” the party posted on X.
“Political violence has no room in our democracy. I thank the Secret Service and first responders for their quick action in protecting former President Trump. We must condemn all forms of violence and encourage using our voices, not weapons, in times of disagreement,” state House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell wrote.
“Violence has no place in our democracy. Regardless of who you support or what you believe, we must resolve our differences at the ballot box — never through violent attacks. Praying for the former president,” state Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book wrote.
“Political violence is wrong and never the answer. We should all be committed to community safety regardless of politics,” state Rep. Anna Eskamani added.
This story has been updated to include a fresh quote from Gov. DeSantis.
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: [email protected]. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
