Democrat Congresswoman Still Trying to Escape Assault Charge for Her Confrontation With Federal ICE Officer - đź”” The Liberty Daily

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(WND News Center)—A Democrat in Congress now is trying an appeal to a higher court to escape an assault charge for her confrontation with federal officers at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility.

It is Rep. LaMonica McIver, of New Jersey, who said this week she’s appealing the list of federal charges filed against her.

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She claimed she was on an “oversight” visit to the detention facility in Newark earlier this year but a judge said her behavior had nothing to do with congressional oversight.

She faces charges of assault and interfering with federal officers for her decision to push at officers outside Delaney Hall.

She pleaded not guilty and earlier unsuccessfully sought to have them dismissed by claiming immunity.

“From the beginning, I’ve fought back against this administration’s cruelty and attempts to silence dissent — this appeal is the next step in the fight,” McIver said, according to a report at Courthousenews.

“The Trump administration’s case is dangerous, baseless and designed to stop me from doing my job. I won’t. This appeal is for everyone who is standing up to this administration as they try to operate without oversight, silence the people who oppose them, and shut down those who protect the vulnerable.”

The report noted that this prosecution of a member of Congress is rare, as most of those involve fraud or corruption.

“Critics say the case is a political deterrent designed to kneecap lawmakers’ right to inspect federal facilities, as a sharp increase in immigration detentions has sparked widespread concerns of mistreatment and substandard living conditions for detainees,” the report commented.

McIver alleges she was “protecting” Newark Mayor Ras Baraka during the attempted “oversight’ inspection of the facility. He was accused of trespassing as he had no oversight privileges, but the charges were later dropped.

U.S. District Judge Jamel Semper found that McIver must face the charges.

“Impeding an arrest, whether lawful or unlawful, goes beyond any reasonable definition of oversight and, accordingly, exceeds the safe harbor of legislative immunity,” Semper ruled. “No genuine legislative purpose was advanced by defendant’s alleged conduct.”

McIver’s arguments are heading to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

WorldNetDaily reported when the judge’s ruling also dismissed McIver’s claim of selective enforcement.

She was indicted by a grand jury and pleaded not guilty to counts of assaulting, resisting, impeding and interfering with a federal officer.

The charges explain she hit a federal agent with her arm, grabbed him, and struck another agent in a scuffle.

She claimed immunity under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause for Congress.

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