MINNEAPOLIS (AP) 鈥� A man who sprayed vinegar at Democratic U.S. Rep. at a town hall meeting in Minneapolis pleaded guilty to assault Thursday in federal court after reaching a deal with prosecutors.
Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, is awaiting sentencing.
Kazmierczak, dressed in bright orange jail clothing, gave only a fragmentary explanation Thursday of , which came as the city was already on edge after by federal agents during a that brought thousands of immigration officers to Minnesota.
After being asked what he remembered of the assault, he told U.S. District Judge Joan N. Ericksen: 鈥淚t’s fuzzy.鈥�
Kazmierczak, who was in the audience during Omar鈥檚 January town hall, leaped up when the representative called for the ouster of then-Homeland Security Secretary . He sprayed liquid from a syringe as court documents say he shouted that Noem would not resign and that Omar was 鈥渟plitting Minnesota apart.鈥�
Security officers tackled Kazmierczak, who told them the liquid was vinegar.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want anybody to think she was in danger,鈥� he said Thursday.
Omar, who was not injured, continued with the town hall after the arrest.
Authorities later determined he鈥檇 sprayed her with a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar. He was charged with assaulting a U.S. officer.
Court documents say Kazmierczak, a critic of Omar who has made online posts supportive of President Donald Trump, told a close associate several years ago that 鈥渟omebody should kill鈥� her.
Omar, , has long been a target of Trump鈥檚 anti-immigrant rhetoric. After she was elected seven years ago, Trump said she should . He has and said she should be investigated.
Trump has also accused Omar of staging the attack, telling ABC 草莓传媒, 鈥淪he probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.鈥�
On Thursday, Kazmierczak told Erickson that he was being treated for Parkinson鈥檚 disease, and that he鈥檇 been diagnosed with ADHD or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and a form of post-traumatic stress.
After his arrest, his then-attorney said that he did not have access to the medications he needed for Parkinson鈥檚 and other serious conditions.
Minnesota court records show that Kazmierczak, who was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989, has been arrested multiple times for driving under the influence and has had numerous traffic citations. There are also indications he has had significant financial problems, including two bankruptcy filings.
In social media posts, Kazmierczak had criticized former President Joe Biden and referred to Democrats as 鈥渁ngry and liars.鈥� Trump wants the U.S. to be “stronger and more prosperous,鈥� he wrote.
Threats against members of Congress have increased in recent years, peaking in 2021 following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by before dipping slightly, only to climb again, according to the most recent figures from the U.S. Capitol Police.
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