Alina Habba, Donald Trump’s personal attorney who was appointed to interim U.S. Attorney of New Jersey, announced on Monday that her office filed charges against Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver (N.J) for assault.
Last week, McIver visited Delaney Hall for a tour of the Trump administration’s new ICE facility along with fellow New Jersey Democrats Reps. Rob Menendez and Bonnie Watson Coleman. The lawmakers were joined by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D).
Baraka was arrested on the same day lawmakers visited the facility. On Monday, Habba announced she is dropping the charges against the mayor while at the same time announcing charges against McIver, alleging that the lawmaker “assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement.”
“Representative LaMonica McIver assaulted, impeded, and interfered with law enforcement in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1 1 1 (a)(1),” Habba wrote. “That conduct cannot be overlooked by the chief federal law enforcement official in the State of New Jersey, and it is my Constitutional obligation to ensure that our federal law enforcement is protected when executing their duties.”
Members of Congress have a legal right to make unannounced visits to ICE detention facilities for oversight purposes.
McIver fired back in a statement.
” These charges against me are purely political—they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight,” she said. “This administration will never stop me from working for the people in our district and standing up for what is right. I am thankful for the outpouring of support I have received and I look forward to the truth being laid out clearly in court.”
