A Minnesota man accused of spraying Rep. Ilhan Omar with liquid at a town hall now faces a federal assault charge—and he's not the only one in trouble over alleged threats against the congresswoman, NBC News reports. The Justice Department on Thursday charged 45-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak with forcibly assaulting and intimidating Omar while she was performing her official duties at a town hall in Minneapolis this week. He also faces state charges of assault and making violent threats, CBS News reports. And in a separate case, federal prosecutors in Kansas charged Adam Lee Osborn with posting a death threat against Omar while using an alias.
According to an FBI affidavit, Kazmierczak approached Omar after she called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign, then allegedly sprayed her with a substance from a syringe while saying, "She's not resigning. You're splitting Minnesotans apart." Omar's clothes were stained and the liquid may have reached her face and right eye, investigators said. Her office later said the substance was apple cider vinegar. The town hall was briefly halted, but Omar resumed the event and later posted on X that she was unharmed, though "visibly shaken," the affidavit notes.
Kazmierczak allegedly has a history of targeting Omar: the affidavit says he previously told an associate, "Somebody should kill that b----," referring to the Minnesota Democrat. His social media accounts reportedly feature praise for President Trump, criticism of Democrats, and at least one post mocking Omar. He reportedly followed conservative activists, the Guardian reports. Public records show a criminal history including unauthorized use of a vehicle in 1989 and two drunk-driving convictions in Minnesota. His 2017 divorce records list him as unemployed and receiving about $40,000 a year in disability benefits. No attorney was listed for him in court documents.
Court filings in the Kansas case say Osborn admitted making the post threatening Omar on Facebook, describing it as "venting," and claimed he lacked the means to carry out an attack—but also said "someone" should act against Omar and New York state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani, hoping his comments might "provoke someone to handle business" and "kill them," according to the affidavit. Omar, who has long cited Trump's rhetoric as a factor in threats against her, said this week her death threats rise whenever the president targets her publicly. Trump, in an interview with ABC News, responded to the town hall incident by suggesting Omar "probably had herself sprayed, knowing her."
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