U.S. Capitol Police have arrested a Democrat staffer from the American Bridge political action committee (PAC) on Thursday for assaulting a female Interior Department communications official after a House budget hearing.
Interior officials filed a police report, The Daily Caller News Foundation has learned, but it has not yet been processed, police said. It will be made public in seven to 10 days once processed. American Bridge did not respond to TheDCNF’s request for comment. -Daily Caller
An officer told Politico that they “arrested an adult male for simple assault against another individual outside room 1234 in the Longworth House Office Building,” adding “The suspect was transported to USCP Headquarters for processing.”
Interior communications director Laura Rigas told Politico she was “greatly alarmed and extremely irate that a female senior member of my DOI Communications team was physically assaulted today by a Democrat staffer from the PAC American Bridge.”
“We are appalled to hear of the events following yesterday’s hearing where a member of Secretary Zinke’s staff was victim to an assault,” committee spokeswoman Katie Schoettler told the Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF).
“These actions are reprehensible and have no place in this body. We thank the U.S. Capitol Police for their quick response and professionalism,” Schoettler said. “The USCP is now handling the matter.”
American Bridge is a political action committee founded by Democratic operative David Brock in 2010 and funded in part by George Soros - who donated $2 million to the PAC in 2016. Their mandate is “holding Republicans accountable for their words and actions,” according to their website.