South Florida

South Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz says potential plot on his life was thwarted

He said Margate Police caught a suspect near the congressman's home before the election

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Florida Democratic Congressman Jared Moskowitz said Friday that a "potential plot" on his life was thwarted.

In a statement posted on social media, Moskowitz said that the Margate Police Department informed him the day before the election that a person was arrested not far from his home.

The person had a rifle, body armor, and a manifesto with antisemitic rhetoric and his name on the "target" list, the congressman said.

Moskowitz expressed gratitude toward local law enforcement, including the Margate Police Department, which is located in his congressional district.

"Serving my constituents is a great honor, but it has put my family in danger," Moskowitz said on X.

Margate Police confirmed they arrested 41-year-old John Lapinski of Margate after responding to a call of shots fired on Halloween. Investigators found weapons in his home and the congressman's name in the evidence they collected. He faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and other firearms-related charges.

"Political violence has no place in our country," Fellow Rep. Carlos Gimenez said in a statement. "This violent anti-Semitic hate is despicable and must be confronted to the fullest extent of the law."

Moskowitz won reelection to the District 23 seat on Tuesday, defeating Republican Joe Kaufman.

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