Pursuant to a federal criminal complaint and felony charges, a federal grand jury has indicted far-left Democratic U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver of New Jersey for her role in the mini-riot outside an illegal-alien detention facility in Newark, N.J.
In May, McIver skirmished with federal agents who were arresting Newark Mayor Ras Baraka on trespassing charges for refusing to leave the facility as ordered.
McIver assaulted two federal officers, federal prosecutors say. McIver claims she and the other Democrats were conducting “oversight.”
Melee and Indictment
As The New American reported in May, video shows McIver pushing and shoving ICE agents at the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark. Also involved in the rumble at the center’s gate were Baraka and far-left Democratic Representatives Rob Menendez and Bonnie Watson Coleman, also of New Jersey.
When federal agents told Baraka to bounce, McIver bounced in. Result: yesterday’s seven-page indictment on three felony counts of “assaulting, resisting, impeding, and interfering with a federal officer.”
On May 9, McIver waddled up to Delaney Hall “allegedly to conduct a congressional oversight inspection” that just happened to coincide with a pro-illegal-alien protest at the facility, the indictment alleges:
When Delaney Hall’s security gate opened momentarily to allow a vehicle to enter into the secured area of the facility, McIver [Watson Coleman and Menendez] moved quickly inside to the secured area before the gate closed.
After the three landed in the reception area, Baraka and his security details showed up in an unsecured area and told a guard that he was with the delegation. The guard denied Baraka entry. However, guards later permitted the contingent to enter the secured area because the “guard became concerned” for Baraka’s safety “amidst the crowd of protesters,” the indictment says.
That’s when the trouble began.
While the congressmen and Baraka were in the secured area, a federal agent, called “Victim-1” or “V-1,” approached Baraka, told him that he was not authorized to enter, and ordered him to leave. The agent “spent approximately five minutes repeatedly explaining that Delaney Hall was private property and ordering [Baraka] to leave the facility’s secured area,” the indictment continues. As well, the agent repeatedly warned Baraka that he would be arrested if he refused to leave.
McIver and her colleagues overheard the conversation and argued over Baraka’s removal. The congressmen were authorized to enter the facility, the agent explained, but Baraka was not.
“After numerous warnings to leave, and numerous warnings of potential arrest, V-1 announced that he was going to place [Baraka] under arrest,” the indictment alleges:
McIver interjected, yelling “Hell, no! Hell, no.”
V-1 ordered [Baraka] to place his hands behind his back and displayed his handcuffs. McIver and other Members of the Congressional Delegation surrounded Baraka and prevented [Homeland Security Investigations, HSI] officials from handcuffing Baraka 1 and taking him into custody. McIver initially remained inside the secured area of Delaney Hall as [Baraka] was escorted by his security detail outside the gate into the unsecured area of the facility.
While [Baraka] was in the unsecured area outside the gate, HSI agents again attempted to handcuff [him]. At that time, McIver hurried outside towards the agents and attempted to thwart the arrest as others yelled “circle the mayor.” Once she arrived near [Baraka], McIver faced [him] and placed her arms around him in an effort to prevent HSI from completing the arrest.
During her attempt to thwart the arrest of [Baraka], McIver slammed her forearm into the body of V-1. McIver also reached out and tried to restrain V-1 by forcibly grabbing him.
McIver used both forearms on another agent and otherwise interfered with his duties.
In the language of the law, McIver
did forcibly assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with persons designated in Title 18, United States Code, Section 1114, namely, HSI Special Agents and ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] Deportation Officers while said Special Agents and Officers were engaged in and on account of the performance of their official duties.
The maximum penalties on the first two counts are eight years in prison each. McIver faces one year for the third.
“While people are free to express their views for or against particular policies, they must not do so in a manner that endangers law enforcement and the communities those officers serve,” U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba wrote on X.
Not Guilty?
Watson Coleman claimed that federal authorities lied about the rumble, despite video that clearly depicted what happened.
McIver claimed agents “disrespected” the delegation.
“The facts of this case will prove I was simply doing my job and will expose these proceedings for what they are: a brazen attempt at political intimidation,” McIver said of the indictment:
This indictment is no more justified than the original charges, and is an effort by Trump’s administration to dodge accountability for the chaos ICE caused and scare me out of doing the work I was elected to do. But it won’t work — I will not be intimidated. The facts are on our side, I will be entering a plea of not guilty….
