The Daily Mail reports that US Representative Angie Craig of Minnesota successfully defended herself during an elevator confrontation at her Washington home by dashing hot coffee onto the attacker. The incident is described as taking place in the early hours of a Thursday when Craig was on her way to a scheduled meeting, and the assailant entered the elevator with disruptive behavior that began with improvised pushups. He delivered a punch to Craig’s jaw and grabbed her by the throat, but she managed to spill the hot beverage, creating a distraction that allowed her to escape before police could arrive. Craig has stated that the assault did not appear to be politically motivated, and authorities reportedly considered the attacker to be under the influence of drugs at the time. The reporting emphasizes that law enforcement view of the motive was not aligned with political targeting. The incident adds to the public record of security concerns surrounding members of Congress when they are outside the Capitol complex. The authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the full set of circumstances surrounding the event and any factors that may have contributed to the attack.
