House Democrat Who Was Violently Attacked in Her Building Calls Out Soft on Crime Policies: ‘Get These Repeat Offenders Off the Street’

Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) called for a series of reforms after she was violently attacked in her own building in Washington D.C.

Craig was assaulted last week in her apartment building. According to police, a man who was acting erratic followed her into her building’s elevator after she’d gotten her morning coffee. Once alone with her, he punched her and demanded to get into her apartment. Craig threw her coffee at the assailant and escaped when the elevator doors opened.

Craig joined CBS reporter Scott MacFarlane on Tuesday to discuss the incident and to call out soft on crime policies that are keeping repeat offenders on the street. The man who attacked the congresswoman was arrested by police and as CBS noted in their report, he has an extensive criminal history. He even attacked multiple officers when he was arrested for assaulting Craig, biting a detective at one point.

“There was no way in hell I was letting him up to my apartment,” Craig said of the attack.

The congresswoman questioned why her attacker had served only short sentences or charges had been dropped altogether in the past.

“I got attacked by someone who the District of Columbia has not prosecuted fully over the course of almost a decade, over the course of 12 assaults before mine that morning,” she said.

Craig argued criminal justice reform is needed as well as more services for people facing mental health rises or addictions, but keeping repeat offenders off of the street is just as important.

“We have to get these repeat offenders off the street,” she said. “We also have got to figure out how we get people the mental help and the addiction help that they need because these people are getting back out and they’re just recommitting the same crimes over and over and over again.”

Watch above via CBS.