Revelations of a "potential plot" on the life of Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz have emerged, with local law enforcement taking swift action to apprehend the alleged assailant. According to a WSVN report, the Democratic congressman informed the public through the social media platform X that the Margate Police had discovered a threat against him. The suspect in question, 41-year-old John Lapinski, was arrested near Moskowitz’s home, in possession of a manifesto containing antisemitic rhetoric along with the congressman's name on what appeared to be a hit list.
Lapinski, who hails from Margate, found himself under arrest on October 31 following a response to reports of shots fired around 6:30 a.m. that morning. He was initially detained under the Baker Act, also recognized as the Florida Mental Health Act before being transferred to the Broward County Jail today. During his arrest, several guns, ammunition, and body armor were found with Lapinski. However, apart from the firearms charges he faces, related to a convicted felon and a domestic injunction, no specific details connecting these items to the alleged plot against Moskowitz have been released by authorities.
In a detailed report by CBS News Miami, Moskowitz, who is a member of a bipartisan task force investigating the attempted assassination of President-elect Donald Trump, expressed deep concern over the safety of congressional members, especially when they are within their own districts. This incident comes despite Moskowitz's history of bipartisan work and his reputation for collaboration across the aisle, having been elected to the U.S. House in 2022 with an appointment from Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to the Broward County Commission and serving as Florida's emergency operations manager under the same governor.
After being re-elected to a second term this past Tuesday, Moskowitz reiterated the need for increased security for government officials, "Regardless of our political affiliations or differences, we all have families we want to keep safe." These sentiments were echoed by Republican U.S. Rep Carlos Gimenez, who condemned the incident, describing the violent anti-Semitic hate as "despicable" and stressing the necessity for action against it. Gimenez commended both local and federal law enforcement for their rapid response to protect his colleague from harm, according to CBS News Miami. As the investigation continues, authorities have not disclosed further details to avoid interference with ongoing efforts.