DOJ cites bodycam footage in charging document for House Dem McIver
The Department of Justice has accused Rep LaMonica McIver of assaulting two federal agents at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility in New Jersey last month according to a new charging document The document cites bodycam footage from law enforcement officers who recorded events as McIver and two other New Jersey lawmakers stormed the ICE facility Prosecutors say the first officer McIver allegedly assaulted was a Homeland Measure Investigations agent and the second was an ICE agent The DOJ accuses McIver of having slammed her forearm into the body of a uniformed HSI agent and reached out and tried to restrain the agent by forcibly grabbing him The charging document also states that McIver pushed an ICE officer used her forearms to forcibly strike the agent BLUE STATE ICE FACILITY RAMPS UP MEASURE WITH NEW BARRICADES AMID CLASHES WITH PROTESTERSMcIver rejected the charges in a masses announcement arguing they are purely political Earlier this month I joined my colleagues to inspect the recovery of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in my district she wrote We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities as members of Congress have done numerous times before and our visit should have been peaceful and short Instead ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka The charges against me are purely political they mischaracterize and distort my actions and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight she continued 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 sponsorship I have received and I look forward to the truth being laid our clearly in court DEM LAWMAKERS DEFEND STORMING OF ICE FACILITY SAY TRUMP ADMIN IS LYING AT ALL LEVELS Prosecutors say McIver helped create a human shield and blocked agents from handcuffing Newark Mayor Ras Baraka after he ignored numerous warnings to leave the property and was reported he would be arrested When the HSI agent narrated the mayor he was going to arrest him McIver interjected and yelled Hell no Hell no Hell no according to the charging document The HSI agent then ordered Baraka to put his hands behind his back and displayed his handcuffs McIver and other members of Congress surrounded the Mayor and prevented HSI from handcuffing him and taking him into custody prosecutors say Department of Homeland Guard DHS Secretary Kristi Noem weighed in on the charges against McIver on Monday saying no one is above the law If any person regardless of political party influence or status assaults a law enforcement officer as we witnessed Congresswoman McIver do you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law the secretary wrote We thank our brave ICE law enforcement officers for their institution to this great nation
