Democrats reportedly invited the father of a suspect tied to an anti-Israel incident, who is accused of killing two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, D.C., to a joint speech delivered by President Donald Trump in March.
In a statement to the New York Post on Thursday, Rep. Jessus “Chui” Garcia’s spokesperson noted, “Eric Rodriguez was our guest during the president’s joint speech to Congress,” although they indicated they were not familiar with the family.
Garcia had previously honored Rodriguez for his service to fellow veterans, according to the outlet.
Rodriguez had also appeared in a video from the International Union Video of Service Employees, claiming to be an Iraq War veteran and working in the Veterans Affairs Division, as reported by the New York Times.
“I’ve been with the VA for three years, and I’m here in Washington, D.C., because I’m worried about Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Dogecoin impacting the VA system,” he stated.
His son, Elias, is accused of shooting and killing 28-year-old Jaron Lisinsky and 26-year-old Sarah Milgrim, who were planning to get engaged. The incident occurred after they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum.
Breitbart News referred to the accused as a suspect who shouted “Free Palestine” during the attack.
The act has been labeled anti-Semitic due to its location, with video evidence showing Elias Rodriguez, 30, yelling “free free Palestine” while being taken into custody. He was seen discarding a traditional checkered scarf often associated with Palestinian terrorists.
Footage captured the moment he shouted “Free, free Palestine!” while being detained.
The suspect allegedly fired nearly 20 rounds at the couple, with reports indicating that Milgrim attempted to crawl away after being shot.
During a press conference on Thursday, a U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia announced that the suspect would face two counts of first-degree murder, along with felony firearm charges.
“This is a horrific crime, and such acts will not be tolerated by this office or myself,” she remarked.
“This young couple, just starting their lives together, was taken in a foreign city under tragic circumstances. We will not stand for this any longer,” she added.
