Man to plead guilty in Ilhan Omar vinegar attack
Anthony Kazmierczak, 55, is set to plead guilty in federal court after allegedly spraying Rep. Ilhan Omar with apple cider vinegar at a Jan. 28, 2026, town hall in Minneapolis, authorities say.
Kazmierczak faces one federal count of assaulting and interfering with a federal official. The charge carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison. Prosecutors say he rushed the stage and sprayed Omar from a syringe. He was arrested at the event and later booked into custody.
The episode traces back to years of threats and heated rhetoric against Omar. President Donald Trump's repeated attacks on Omar since 2019 helped drive spikes in threats, including a peak in 2019 and another surge in 2025. U.S. Capitol Police investigated 14,938 threats against members of Congress and related targets in 2025, a 57 percent rise from 2024. Kazmierczak, a Minnesota resident with a past felony auto theft conviction and DUI arrests, posted pro-Trump material online and expressed hatred toward Somalis, his brother said. Neighbors say he told someone in early 2026 he planned to get arrested at an event.
Initial reports focused on his arrest and the criminal charge. Local outlets now report he will plead guilty in federal court and proceed toward sentencing. Social posts show some confusion about whether he already pleaded guilty, alongside calls for harsh punishment and questions about consistency in legal responses to political violence. Some social posts say a hearing is scheduled for May 7.
📊 Relevant Data
Anthony Kazmierczak is charged with one count of forcibly assaulting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with a federal official, carrying a maximum penalty of one year in prison.
Justice department charges man accused of attacking Ilhan Omar at town hall — The Guardian
In 2025, the U.S. Capitol Police investigated 14,938 threats against members of Congress, their families, staff, and the Capitol complex, representing a 57% increase from 9,500 cases in 2024.
USCP Threat Assessment Cases for 2025 — U.S. Capitol Police
Rep. Ilhan Omar has received the highest level of death threats among members of Congress, with threats peaking in 2019, dropping to near zero from 2021-2024, and rising again in 2025.
‘An unhealthy and creepy obsession’: Ilhan Omar on Trump’s attacks — Office of Rep. Ilhan Omar
📌 Key Facts
- Defendant: Anthony Kazmierczak has filed a notice of change of plea in federal court
- Incident: He is accused of spraying Rep. Ilhan Omar with apple cider vinegar from a syringe during a January town hall at Urban League Twin Cities in Minneapolis
- Procedure: A settlement letter says the parties have reached a plea agreement and a change-of-plea hearing is set for May 7, 2026 at 11 a.m.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
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