Suspect Pleads Not Guilty in White House Correspondents Dinner Shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) – A man accused of storming the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner while armed with guns and knives pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges that he attempted to kill President Donald Trump and fired a shotgun at a Secret Service officer who tried to stop the attack. Bernie Bennett reports.

POSSIBLE OUT CUE: Pirro and Blanche were in attendance at the dinner, when Allen ran past a check point and shot the secret service agent.

VERBATIM: Cole Tomas Allen was handcuffed and shackled and wearing an orange jumpsuit when he appeared in federal court for his arraignment Monday.

Allen didn’t speak during the brief hearing. One of his attorneys entered the plea on his behalf.

Allen’s lawyers are asking U .S. District Judge Trevor McFadden to disqualify Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro from direct involvement in prosecuting him because they could be considered victims or witnesses in the case, creating a potential conflict of interest.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.