The federal assault case against Lee Zeldin, Republican New York’s gubernatorial nominee, has been filed.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of New York announced on Saturday that police arrested David Jakubonis, the 43-year-old man who attacked Zeldin with a sharp weapon at a campaign stop on Thursday, on federal assault charges. Jakubonis was released without bail because of New York’s bail reform laws. According to Fox News ., he had been previously charged with “attempted attack in the second degree at the state level.”
Zeldin had predicted that New York’s bail Reform laws would permit him to temporarily be released. This prompted conservatives to demand federal charges. Rep. Claudia Tenney (R.NY) also claimed that the “attempted attack” charge was too mild considering that Jakubonis told Zeldin that he had “done” and then aimed a sharp object at Zeldin’s neck.
” First, the question is: Why was this person arrested for attempted assault? He was charged with attempted murder. It was attempted murder. Lee Zeldin is also my colleague…and a sitting member to Congress. There is a federal statute…that covers that. Tenney explained to Fox Business that this is a federal felony.
“Where’s [Attorney General] Merrick Grland? Are there any [U.S.] local attorneys? Where are the local [U.S.] Attorneys in New York State…The FBI? She continued, “Why aren’t these protecting the Congressman whose lives were threatened at a rallie?
Zeldin also blasted media for not covering the attack and said it would have been different if he were a Democrat.
” “This doesn’t fit with the narrative,” said Maxine Waters to Fox News.
