FILE PHOTO: A group of people attending Congressman Lee Zeldin鈥檚 stump speech gather around what the photographer says is the attacker, after an alleged attack on Zeldin during the speech, in Fairport, New York, United States, July 21, 2022. Ian Winner/Handout via REUTERS
A man accused of trying this week to stab Republican U.S. Representative and New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin was arrested on Saturday on a federal charge of assaulting a member of Congress using a dangerous weapon, authorities said.
David Jakubonis, 43 of Fairport, appeared before a magistrate judge on Saturday and was ordered held until a bail hearing on Wednesday.
As Zeldin gave a speech on Thursday in his run for governor, Jakubonis climbed on stage, grabbed the right arm of Zeldin and extended a key chain with two sharp points toward him, the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Office of the Western District of New York said. Zeldin, who grabbed Jakuboni鈥檚 left arm, was unhurt.
During the assault, which occurred in upstate New York, Jakubonis said several times 鈥測ou鈥檙e done,鈥� a complaint filed Saturday and signed by an FBI agent said.
The Monroe County Sheriff鈥檚 Office had arrested Jakubonis on Thursday but he was later released. Jakubonis had waived his rights and told the sheriff鈥檚 investigators that he had served one tour during the Iraq war in the U.S. Army, the complaint said. Jakubonis told the sheriff鈥檚 investigators he asked Zeldin if he was disrespecting veterans, it said.
Jakubonis said he drank on the day of the incident and he did not know who the speaker was or that he was a politician, it said.
U.S. law carries heightened penalties for assaulting a member of Congress, and does not require the government to prove a defendant knew an assault victim was a member of Congress.
Zeldin pushed the suspect away before both men tumbled to the ground as several others tried to subdue the suspect, video footage posted on social media on Thursday by witnesses showed.
Court records showed Jakubonis asked for a court-appointed defense lawyer and that a detention hearing was scheduled for Wednesday.
Zeldin has complained about the initial release of Jakubonis. 鈥淣ew York鈥檚 cashless bail law MUST be repealed,鈥� Zeldin said in a tweet on Saturday. In his run against Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, Zeldin has said New York鈥檚 bail laws must be strengthened to make it easier for judges to hold suspects charged with some crimes.
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