The suspect in the attempted stabbing of a congressman is facing a new charge: assaulting a Member of Congress using a dangerous weapon.
It carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
Six carloads of FBI agents rearrested David Jakubonis at his apartment Saturday after he was released without bail following last Thursday’s attack on Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.).
Per Mediaite:
US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York released a statement about the arrest and incident with Zeldin, alleging Jakubonis told Zeldin multiple times “you’re done” after taking the stage and dragging the Republican to the ground at the event. The latest arrest of Jakubonis is the result of the FBI’s own investigation into the incident.
Jakubonis’ initial release was in accordance with New York’s bail laws.
Jakubonis, an Iraq War veteran like Zeldin, walked onto a flatbed trailer at a rally for the congressman, who’s running for governor of New York, and attempted to stab him with a bladed weapon.
Zeldin deflected Jakubonis’ blow by grabbing his right wrist. After a chaotic few moments, the congressman and members of the audience managed to subdue his assailant until deputies arrived.
Zeldin continued his speech afterward and has since increasingly denounced New York’s 2019 bail reform laws from the stump, which eliminated money bail and pre-trial detention for a slew of charges, as The Washington Times noted:
“We cannot live in a state where someone who commits a felony trying to stab me on stage at a campaign rally then gets immediately released,” Mr. Zeldin said. “New York’s cashless bail law must be repealed! Kathy Hochul refuses to get this job done. I will!”
The laws, one part of Gov. Hochul’s controversial criminal justice reforms, faced a wave of backlash even before last week’s assault on Zeldin. Restrictions imposed on prosecutors prompted the resignation of dozens of government attorneys statewide. Around the same time, rising crime in New York City compelled Mayor Eric Adams to dispatch aides to Albany to lobby for changes to the law.
Zeldin predicted Jakubonis’ first release. CNY Central has more on the latest from the campaign trail:
“The argument in favor of cashless bail is that you don’t want somebody to stay locked up behind bars only because they can’t afford a very small amount of bail,” Zeldin said. “That’s the argument given to me by activists and advocates.”
He said releasing Jakubonis so quickly was a disservice, as instead of rushing to release him, law enforcement could have connected him with a veteran support group in order to provide him with mental health resources.
“Where is the help for this man… It does the whole system a disservice,” said Zeldin.
Bail reform was originally designed to lower incarceration rates.
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Patrick Houck is an avid political enthusiast based out of the Washington, D.C., metro area. His expertise is in campaigns and the use of targeted messaging to persuade voters. When not combing through the latest news, you can find him enjoying the company of family and friends or pursuing his love of photography.
This dude deserves to be locked up for a very long time, but would the FBI have gotten involved if the victim of the attack was not a politician? I don’t think so.
WOW! The FBI is finally doing something against the fools who attack Congress people, even if they are Repubs! Will wonders never cease.
Will Meritless Garland pursue the case?
The arrest will go nowhere. He’s already been released once, and he and his lawyers will plead the double jeopardy rule. The liberals are all out to protect their power, and the FBI is already in their pocket.
Attempted murder of a congressman is legal in NY and no arrest, and no bail is the outcome. I’m surprised though, the FBI, under the jurisdiction of stupid Brandon’s AG, would rearrest him. Maybe it’s to give him a medal, of freedom and a few million dollars.
When illegal aliens are released without bail, 90%+ of them disappear and never show up for their hearing [Source: Immigration Court]. Why would anyone think it would be any different for violent offenders such as this?
They need to arrest those who turned him loose.
New York doesn’t have any bail bonds, they let everybody go. It doesn’t matter who or what you have done in the past, you are an ok Joe, let them go.They have no laws. You can go in a store and steal them blind or set them on fire, go to the station get your hand slapped, and go on about your business.
Get CCW,body armor & security force undercover armed
I you are not a brainless liberal and you still live in the pos communist country, you deserve your fate.
Had the intended victim been a progressive demorrhoid the perp would never have been let out in the first place.