A man accused of assaulting New York gubernatorial contender Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) has been arrested Saturday on federal assault charges, officials announced.
David Jakubonis, 43, of Fairport, New York, was arrested on federal charges connected to the incident with Zeldin. Jakubonis is slated to make a court appearance this Saturday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marion W. Payson in Rochester, New York, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of New York.
LEE ZELDIN ATTACKED BY MAN WITH BRASS KNUCKLES AT CAMPAIGN EVENT
Jakubonis was previously charged at the state level with attempted assault in the second degree and had been arraigned before being subsequently released — a move that Zeldin blasted.
“I believe that when repealing cashless bail, there should also be a certain minimum set,” the New York congressman said. “We’re certain cases, certain suspects and defendants, have to remain behind bars. There’s a certain threshold where the judge doesn’t have discretion not because they can put the person back out on the streets.”
Just as I predicted, after the man who tried stabbing me last night was charged with Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, a felony, he was then immediately released under the state’s insane cashless bail law, which MUST be repealed! My full statement⬇️ pic.twitter.com/mdPAOowcAu
— Lee Zeldin (@leezeldin) July 22, 2022
During a campaign stop in New York on Thursday, a video appeared to show Jakubonis climbing onstage and attempting to strike the Republican. He wielded what appeared to be a hardened plastic keychain that had two sharp points in between his knuckles and appeared poised to hit Zeldin with those edges. Zeldin appeared to grab the man’s wrist in a bid to hamper the strike.
A group of people nearby then stormed the stage and detained the attacker. Zeldin, who had been discussing bail reform at the event, resumed his speech after about a 10-minute hiatus due to the incident. The congressman said he was unharmed from the encounter.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle, including President Joe Biden and Gov. Kathy Hochul, denounced the attack.
“I condemn the attack on Congressman Zeldin in the strongest terms,” Biden said in a statement Thursday. “As I’ve said before, violence has absolutely no place in our society or our politics.”
“My team has informed me about the incident at Lee Zeldin’s campaign event tonight. Relieved to hear that Congressman Zeldin was not injured and that the suspect is in custody. I condemn this violent behavior in the strongest terms possible — it has no place in New York,” Hochul tweeted shortly after the attack.
My team has informed me about the incident at Lee Zeldin’s campaign event tonight. Relieved to hear that Congressman Zeldin was not injured and that the suspect is in custody. I condemn this violent behavior in the strongest terms possible — it has no place in New York.
— Kathy Hochul (@KathyHochul) July 22, 2022
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Zeldin won the Republican nod to challenge Hochul in the midterm elections in June. The last Republican to lead the state was George Pataki, whose last year in office was 2006.
