The man who attempted to assassinate NY Governor candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin is back in jail on federal charges
43-year-old David Jakubonis attempted to assassinate New York Republican Gubernatorial candidate Representative Lee Zeldin during his speech on Thursday. The man attacked Zeldin with a sharp key-ring which was designed for self-defense, but thankfully Rep. Zeldin and those around him were able to fend off the attack and tackle the assailant to the ground.
After the attack, Representative Zeldin made it clear that he believed that the attacker would be let out of jail immediately due to the same cashless bond system which he was criticizing in his speech when he was attacked. He was correct, and Jakubonis was released immediately on his own recognizance. This is due to New York’s ludicrously lax laws regarding bail, incarceration, and justice in general–something Zeldin aims to change as governor.
However, Saturday afternoon, Jakubonis was taken into custody by the FBI on federal assault charges.
From the Daily Mail:
A six-car motorcade pulled into Jakubonis’ apartment complex a little before noon on Saturday and left with Jakubonis in custody 15 minutes later.
He’s set to make his first appearance in court Saturday afternoon in front of US Magistrate Judge Marion W. Payson.
A spokesperson for the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York confirmed the detail.
Jakubonis alleges that he had no idea who Zeldin was, and that he was only trying to take the microphone away after her heard that the politicians was “disrespecting veterans.” Jakubonis is a US Army veteran himself.
However, dozens of eye-witnesses, photos, and video footage reveals the man’s violent assassination attempt for what it is.
The state of affairs in New York is a sad one when a federal crime, attempted assassination of a sitting US Representative, is treated the same way by the courts as if it were a misdemeanor–allowing the clearly unhinged and dangerous man to walk free on his own. That it takes the FBI to actually see punishment of the individual through is shocking.
