MIAMI – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio continues to stand by his statement that an assault on a Republican canvasser in Hialeah was politically motivated.
According to police, past Sunday Javier Lopez Lopez and Jonathan Casanova approached Christopher Monzon who was walking on the sidewalk together E 60th Street passing out flyers Rubio and Governor Ron DeSantis.
The two adult males reportedly advised him he could not move them on the sidewalk since he was a Republican. An argument ensued and at one particular level Lopez reportedly pushed Monzon to the floor and started off punching him.
Casanova also kicked Monzon in the head, according to the arrest report. Right after that, he reportedly went to his automobile and received two German shepherds, and instructed them to assault Monzon. Just before they could neighborhood residents intervened and separated the three adult men.
Equally adult men had been arrested.
CBS4 initial interviewed Monzon, who has alleged past link to white supremacist teams, in 2017. We were being covering a story about transforming the names of avenue signals that honored confederate generals and a one-time chief of the KKK.
In a movie from Miami’s Rise Information, a reporter requested Monzon whether or not he was a Cuban American and he replied, “Yes which is accurate.” He continued, “Everybody that moves here wants to conform to the South. This is federal-occupied Dixie.”
Monzon was at the rally holding a confederate flag and got into a shouting match with the crowd. Police arrested Monzon and charged him with aggravated assault, inciting a riot and disorderly perform.
On Friday, associates of the Florida Democratic Party stated that the Republican Celebration and Rubio should be distancing on their own from Monzon.
Rachelle Litt of the Florida Democratic Bash advised CBS4’s Peter D’Oench, “He (Monzon) has a very well-documented record of staying tied to hatred and bigotry. The Republican Social gathering understood this when they employed him and produced him section of their staff.” She explained he was a member of a despise group known for anti-semitism and also experienced ties to the Proud Boys.
State Senator Lori Berman of Boynton Seaside reported, “The fact that the Republican Celebration paid $10,000 to a person out there canvassing who was a misogynist and a racist.”
Point out Consultant Tracie Davis of Jacksonville reported “Marco Rubio failed to condemn Monzon and is defending him. The concern is why.”
Rabbi Mark Winer of the Florida Democratic Occasion explained “Why are you participating in footsie with a acknowledged white supremacist and racist? With your open up family heritage you ought to know that when some of us are not secure, all of us are not protected.”
Rubio has defended Monzon, who was carrying a Rubio campaign t-shirt when the Sunday attack transpired. Police have not verified a motive for the violent attack.
The Federal Election Commission exhibits the Republican celebration had compensated Monzon more than $7,000 for his political work.
In accordance to the Southern Poverty Law Middle, Monzon has a troubling record of alleged extremist sights.
Rubio, who is becoming challenged by Democrat Val Demings for the Senate seat he holds, was in West Miami to forged his ballot in the Standard Election. There he was requested about Monzon’s ties to white supremacist businesses.
“I think it really is shameful that you might be centered on the target and not on the aggressors. Do you know everything about the attackers? Do you have any concerns on the attackers who are job criminals,” he claimed.
Rubio explained Monzon is the sufferer of a crime and he thinks he’s turned down his prior sights.
“Which is what we want all individuals folks who maintain those views to do, to modify their minds and reject them and wander away from them. He was the target of a felony,” he stated.
“I don’t know what this young person did in his previous, he’s turned down it, but I will inform you this, it truly is a criminal offense and we ought to be concentrated on the two thugs who attacked him,” he extra. He said “We must be concentrated on the two thugs who attacked him. It is okay to shame and assault a target when he is conservative. That is disgusting and grotesque.”
Rubio even introduced up the attack early Friday morning on the spouse of Speaker of the Home Nancy Pelosi.
Rubio reported, “If it was politically inspired, it was a criminal offense. I condemn it. If it wasn’t politically enthusiastic, it is a criminal offense and I condemn it. He was previously arrested. I am not heading to bring that up. Does he have earned to be overwhelmed at his dwelling simply because he has a earlier arrest a number of months in the past. He does not, It can be a crime.”
Speaking in Jacksonville on Thursday, Rubio said he trusts Monzon’s statements about the assault in excess of what he known as a handwritten law enforcement report.
“All that media reporting, which is outrageous for the reason that I assume it can be irresponsible, is centered on a police report that is handwritten. It is a preliminary report centered on the interviews on the floor from a guy who just acquired his confront pummeled. So I you should not even know how much he’s in a position to converse to the law enforcement. But I know what he’s informed me. I know what his father has informed me,” he reported.
“That there was a criminal offense fully commited is devoid of query. Why it was dedicated? I’m going to imagine him more than some any person who’s inclined to go in and assault somebody in the streets so brutally,” he additional.
Monzon has a very long street to recovery. His father instructed D’Oench that he was produced from the medical center on Friday and is at property resting.
Each Casanova and Lopez have been charged with aggravated battery.
