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Man Who Accosted Rep. Lee Zeldin Claims He Didn’t Know Who He Was

David Jakubonis told investigators he had been drinking heavily and didn’t recall rushing the congressman with a pointy self-defense tool in his hand.

2022-07-23T204218Z_1104715449_RC2VHV9PIJVC_RTRMADP_3_NEW-YORK-CONGRESSMAN-ATTACK-ARREST_xg7zlv

Ian Winner via Reuters

The upstate New York man hit with federal charges for rushing at Rep. Lee Zeldin with a pointy self-defense keychain in his hand claims he didn’t know who the congressman was. David Jakubonis, 43, told investigators that he had been swilling whiskey before he walked by the gathering where Zeldin, a candidate for New York governor, was speaking to a veterans group, according to court papers. By his account, he went on stage to ask Zeldin if he was disrespecting vets and then “must have checked out.” Jakubonis was released on bond after his arrest—and then the feds stepped in and re-arrested him on an assault rap.

Read it at Associated Press

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