The brother of Anthony James Kazmierczak, the man charged with attacking US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, has described him as a right-wing extremist. Kazmierczak, 55, faces federal assault charges after allegedly spraying Omar with a liquid from a syringe during a town hall in Minneapolis.
According to court documents, a close associate told investigators that Kazmierczak previously said someone 'should kill' the Minnesota lawmaker. The substance sprayed was later identified as a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar, which stained Omar's clothes and may have reached her face and eye.
Kazmierczak rushed the lectern after Omar called for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be abolished and for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign. He shouted, 'She is not resigning. You’re splitting Minnesotans apart,' before spraying her.
Omar, visibly shaken, continued the event, stating, 'I’ve survived war. And I’m definitely going to survive intimidation.' She attributed the attack to President Donald Trump's 'hateful rhetoric,' which Trump continued, calling Omar 'garbage' at a cabinet meeting.
The FBI found a cartoon shared by Kazmierczak on Facebook criticising Omar's stance on security spending. He also followed several conservative activists online. The charge carries up to a year in prison.
