The Facts
- Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY), the Republican candidate for NY Gov., was attacked by a man trying to stab him while giving a campaign speech near Rochester, NY on Thurs.
- Zeldin was giving a speech on bail reform at a Veterans of Foreign Wars event when David Jakubonis, 43, approached him with a sharp object before being subdued by Joe Chenelly - a GOP member running for the NY state assembly and national director of a veteran's nonprofit.
- Jakubonis is reportedly an unemployed Army veteran whose mental health reportedly declined following the death of his wife. There is no indication of political motivation at this time.
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The Spin
Republican narrative
Just as Zeldin predicted after the attack, the man who tried to stab a gubernatorial candidate was instantly released without bail due to NY's left-leaning and permissive laws. New York's Democrat Gov. Hochul - who's previously called Zeldin a dangerous extremist- even encouraged her supporters to attend this event. There must be accountability.
Democratic narrative
Democrats, including Gov. Hochul, have and always will condemn acts of violence like this in the strongest terms possible. Opposing candidates have always used strong language against one another, but it doesn't mean that Democrats wanted Zeldin to be attacked or hurt.
