A Minnesota man accused of spraying liquid at Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar during a January town hall meeting in Minneapolis pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to assaulting a U.S. officer.
Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, entered the guilty plea as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors and is now awaiting sentencing. Appearing in court wearing orange jail clothing, Kazmierczak gave only a limited account of the Jan. 27 incident, telling U.S. District Judge Joan N. Ericksen that his memory of the assault was “fuzzy.”
The confrontation occurred during a tense period in Minneapolis, as the city was already grappling with unrest following fatal shootings involving federal agents amid a White House immigration crackdown that sent thousands of immigration officers into Minnesota.
According to court documents, Kazmierczak was seated in the audience during Omar’s town hall when he suddenly stood up after the congresswoman called for the removal of then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Authorities said he sprayed liquid from a syringe while shouting that Noem would not resign and accusing Omar of “splitting Minnesota apart.”
Security officers quickly tackled and detained him. Kazmierczak later told authorities the substance was vinegar. Investigators determined the mixture contained water and apple cider vinegar. Omar was not injured and resumed the town hall shortly after the disruption.
During Thursday’s hearing, Kazmierczak said he never intended to place Omar in danger. “I didn’t want anybody to think she was in danger,” he told the judge.
Court records also revealed Kazmierczak has been treated for Parkinson’s disease and has been diagnosed with ADHD and post-traumatic stress disorder. His former attorney previously argued that he lacked access to necessary medications following his arrest.
Federal court filings described Kazmierczak as a longtime critic of Omar who posted pro-Trump political content online. Documents also allege he once told an associate that “somebody should kill” the congresswoman.
Threats against members of Congress have risen sharply in recent years, according to data from the U.S. Capitol Police, reflecting an increasingly volatile political climate nationwide.
