A new lawsuit has been filed against the Trump administration, accusing it of wrongly holding back documents related to Ryan Routh, the man charged with trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump at one of his golf courses last year.
The Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), a nonpartisan group, says the public has a right to know about the government’s dealings with Routh, and that the U.S. State Department has failed to release records even after repeated requests.
CASA’s Fight for Transparency
CASA filed the case in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia after months of delay from the State Department. The group said it had submitted four Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, but despite nearly a year passing, officials have not provided the requested records or explained why they are being withheld.
The organization argued that:
The State Department acknowledged the requests but then stopped responding.
Officials marked the requests as “In Process” but did not provide updates.
Federal law requires timely responses, which were not met.
CASA now wants the court to force the administration to release the documents, claiming the delays amount to “wrongful withholding.”
Who is Ryan Routh?
Ryan Routh, 59, faces multiple charges, including:
Attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate
Assaulting a federal officer
Firearms violations
He has pleaded not guilty and is representing himself in court. The alleged assassination attempt took place at one of Trump’s golf courses in Florida in 2024.
What CASA is Demanding
CASA is pushing for:
Immediate judicial review of the delays
Release of all non-exempt records within 10 days of a court order
An official explanation for any materials legally withheld
The group says it asked for records from different State Department offices, including the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine and other divisions tied to European and Eurasian affairs. CASA believes these records may reveal important details about government interactions with Routh.
The State Department’s Response
According to CASA’s complaint, the State Department initially told the group that “unusual circumstances” would delay the requests beyond the standard 20-day period. But after marking the cases “In Process,” the department allegedly stopped responding altogether.
CASA claims this silence shows the agency has no intent to comply without legal pressure.
Why This Case Matters
CASA describes itself as dedicated to protecting Americans’ safety, democracy, and civil rights. By pursuing this lawsuit, the group says it is standing up for transparency and accountability. If successful, the case could set a strong reminder that government agencies must follow FOIA rules and cannot delay indefinitely.
The lawsuit between CASA and the Trump administration highlights a larger debate about transparency in government. CASA argues that timely access to records is necessary for the public to understand how officials handle serious threats like assassination attempts.
If the court rules in CASA’s favour, it could force the release of crucial documents and reinforce the public’s right to know what their government is doing behind closed doors.
