Rep. Jared Moskowitz at the U.S. Capitol, Feb. 15, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
(JTA) — Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Jewish Florida Democrat, said a man who was arrested for planning “a potential plot on my life” was found near the congressman’s home with an antisemitic manifesto.
Following a police raid on Nov. 2, the suspect, John Lapinski, 41, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and other firearms charges, police told Fox News. He has two prior felony convictions.
“During the investigation, our detectives located several firearms and evidence that indicated he may have been planning some type of criminal act,” the police statement said, adding that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI were involved in the investigation.
Moskowitz said in a statement posted to X that Lapinksi was arrested near his home. The congressman said that Lapinski was in possession of a rifle, a suppressor and body armor, as well as a manifesto that included antisemitic language and a “target” list with only Moskowitz’s name.
Moskowitz, who was elected to Congress in 2022 and reelected last week, wrote, “Serving my constituents is a great honor, but it has put my family in danger.”
Moskowitz said he was informed about the threat on Nov. 4, Election Day eve, by the Margate Police Department inside his southeast Florida district, which covers parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties and is home to a sizable Jewish population.
“As someone who was appointed to the Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump, I understand the failures and importance of fixing the protection of our current and future Commander-In-Chief and Vice President,” Moskowitz wrote. “At the same time, I am deeply worried about Congressional member security and the significant lack thereof when we are in the district. Regardless of our political affiliations or differences, we all have families we want to keep safe.”
The arrest occurred about two months after the Justice Department charged two white supremacist leaders for urging terror attacks against Jews, including a Jewish senator, and other groups. Ahead of the election, Jewish security agencies had cautioned communal institutions to remain on guard for threats and violence targeting Jews. On Election Day, a man carrying fuel, various implements to ignite a fire and a manifesto decrying U.S. support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza was arrested at the U.S. Capitol.
Moskowitz, 43, had risen to prominence during the pandemic, when he served under Gov. Ron DeSantis as Florida’s director of emergency management. Moskowitz was appointed to the Broward County Commission in 2022 and served until his election to the House of Representatives later that year. He succeeded longtime Rep. Ted Deutch, who left Congress to lead the American Jewish Committee.
Moskowitz has earned a reputation for bipartisanship, and the news of the arrest drew sharp rebukes from a number of Republican representatives in Florida.
“This is outrageous. Nobody should hurt Jared!” Rep. Matt Gaetz, a prominent Trump ally, tweeted in response to Moskowitz’s statement. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna called the threat “abhorrent.” Rep. Carlos Gimenez said, “this violent anti-Semitic hate is despicable.”
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