A man accused of attacking New York GOP gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin during a recent campaign rally told investigators he’d been drinking that day and didn’t know who the congressman was, according to a federal criminal complaint filed Saturday.
David Jakubonis, 43, made an initial court appearance Saturday before a federal magistrate judge on a single count of assaulting a member of Congress with a dangerous weapon. The charge carries a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
He was ordered held until a bail hearing in federal court Wednesday. Prosecutors said he should remain detained as a risk of flight and dangerous, according to a court filing.
Jakubonis was arraigned Friday on a separate state charge of attempted assault in the second degree and was released by a local judge. That prompted criticism from Zeldin and other Republicans who held it up as an example of the need to reform New York’s bail laws, something Zeldin has called on Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul to toughen.
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A 2019 bail reform law in New York eliminated pretrial incarceration for people accused of most nonviolent offenses. The law gives judges the option to set bail in nearly all cases involving violent felonies, but it has exceptions for certain attempted felonies like attempted assault.
The federal criminal complaint alleges Jakubonis, an Iraq War veteran, told investigators he had been drinking whiskey on Thursday and went onstage as Zeldin addressed a Veterans of Foreign Wars post in the town of Perinton to ask the speaker if he was disrespecting veterans.
Jakubonis “did not know who the speaker was or that the speaker was a political person,” according to the complaint, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Rochester. The complaint added that when Jakubonis watched video of Thursday evening’s incident he told investigators he “must have checked out.”
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According to video of the attack, Jakubonis raised his arm toward Zeldin as he held a keychain with two sharp points. The congressman from Long Island then grabbed Jakubonis’ wrist and the two tussled to the ground as others jumped in to help. Zeldin, who also served in the military, suffered a minor scrape.
A message was left Saturday with the assistant federal public defender representing him.
The gubernatorial candidate held a press conference on Friday where he detailed the events of his campaign rally and the moment he saw the man approach onstage. Multiple cameras in the crowd captured as the man walked to the congressman, appearing to try and stab him with a pointed weapon.
"I noticed he had a weapon in his hand," Zeldin said. "When he lifted up his hand and was lunging for my throat area, my first thought was just to grab onto his wrist."
Several other individuals could be seen coming to assist in subduing the man. Zeldin was unharmed and returned to the stage to finish his remarks to the crowd, thanking law enforcement who helped.
Zeldin's Democratic opponent in the race, Hochul, said in a tweet that "I condemn this violent behavior in the strongest terms possible — it has no place in New York." She also said she was "relieved to hear that Congressman Zeldin was not injured and that the suspect is in custody." President Joe Biden released a statement echoing the governor's words.
"I am especially grateful for the courage of those who immediately intervened, and that [Zeldin] is unharmed and was able to continue his speech," the president said.
