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Former GOP Lawmakers Cry Foul About Felony Assault Charges Against Democrat Politician

Jeff Charles
Jeff Charles  |  May 27, 2025 11:45 AM

Democrats pounced after the Justice Department announced felony charges against Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), claiming that it was motivated by politics. But, apparently, it is not only Democrats who are upset about the charges.

Rep. McIver is facing two counts of assaulting, resisting, and impeding law enforcement officers during a May 9 fracas outside the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, New Jersey. Protesters demonstrating against the Trump administration’s immigration policies clashed with police officers outside the building.

The criminal complaint alleges that the lawmaker was part of a human shield trying to prevent the authorities from getting to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was also part of the protest. McIver allegedly “slammed her forearm” into one of the officers, according to the complaint, which also claims she “reached out and tried to restrain” the officer by “forcibly grabbing him.”

In a statement provided to USA Today, 11 former GOP members of Congress condemned the charges against McIver.

"The constitutional duties of Members of Congress include not only passing legislation but also oversight of executive branch implementation of those laws. That is an essential dimension of American checks and balances," the group said in a joint statement exclusively provided to USA TODAY. "Rep. Mclver was present at the ICE facility as part of her official congressional duties. We believe this extreme response to the events of that day is unwarranted.”

Former Rep.Claudine Schneider (R-RI) said, “This behavior by the Trump administration is outrageous” and that “Every member of Congress, both past and present, should be speaking up.”

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The statement further claimed the Trump administration is using the DOJ to silence them.

Each charge against McIver carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a potential fine.

Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) recently filed a motion to expel McIver over her conduct.

Video footage that circulated on social media shortly after the confrontation appears to show McIver pushing an officer with her forearms during the chaos. However, from where I sit, it did not seem that her intention was to harm the officer. If this were to happen to me, I wouldn’t even bother pressing charges.

However, a popular saying comes to mind when considering this situation: Turnabout is fair play.

If the average citizen were to do something like this, we would almost certainly face charges. This is especially true if the individual committed a similar act while wearing a MAGA hat under the Biden administration.

Democrats can’t cry foul when they supported the incarceration and solitary confinement of people who simply strolled around the US Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021. Former President Joe Biden’s Justice Department had absolutely no qualms with throwing people into cages for nonviolent behavior.

This is one of several reasons why Democrats should never have weaponized the government against people for purely political purposes. They had to know that, at some point, Republicans would control the executive branch. The White House is simply playing by the rules that Democrats established. Moreover, one could more easily make the case that McIver did commit assault — a charge that did not apply to the J6ers.

Is this the way things should be? Of course not. But Democrats started this nonsense. They are only complaining because it is happening to one of their own.