More Politicians Get Physical

[Ben]

Texas Republican calls ICE on illegal alien protestors. Texas dem physically assaults him and threatens to "get him" on his way to his car (other dems try to attack him but are held back). So far the only MSM reporting seems to be, "Republican threatens to shoot dem". Lots different than Montana.

I have to say, good on the R for calling ICE on the illegal alien protestors. They don't have a vote. They should never have been in the state house making demands.

http://twitchy.com/sd-3133/2017/05/29/unhinged-lefties-lose-it-on-texas-state-rep-matt-rinaldi-who-claims-dem-colleagues-threatened-assaulted-him/

[HankB]

Texas Republican calls ICE on illegal alien protestors. Texas dem physically assaults him and threatens to "get him" on his way to his car (other dems try to attack him but are held back). . . .

Invading the legislature and disrupting it - isn't this sort of the same thing that Hitler's SA goons did when the future Fuhrer was just beginning his rise to power?

And if these perps were actually foreign nationals illegally in this country - doesn't this constitute overt interference with US government by a foreign power?

How do we get a special prosecutor appointed?

[Angel Eyes]

I have to say, good on the R for calling ICE on the illegal alien protestors. They don't have a vote. They should never have been in the state house making demands country in the first place.

Fixed.

[zxcvbob]

Invading the legislature and disrupting it - isn't this sort of the same thing that Hitler's SA goons did when the future Fuhrer was just beginning his rise to power?

And if these perps were actually foreign nationals illegally in this country - doesn't this constitute overt interference with US government by a foreign power?

How do we get a special prosecutor appointed?

[I've not read the article yet] No, they are not a foreign power.  Just foreign idiots who have no standing to be making any kinds of demands.  +1 on calling Immigration.

[Ben]

Well, from what I'm hearing on the news this morning, it looks like the the R may have taken things too far in the taunting department. Doesn't excuse the physical response, but it doesn't help. He should have just called ICE, then driven on instead of doing the "That's what you are but what am I?" thing.

[DittoHead]

physically assaults him

Unlike the Gianforte incidident, there is video of this one and you can definitely see some shoving. I probably wouldn't call the police claiming assault over anything that I saw in the video but it might fall within the legal definition and regardless it's completely unacceptable behavior for an elected official. The threats should be pretty easy to arrest/charge for though, I would expect there to be plenty of witnesses and there's absolutely no reason to let that slide.

[HankB]

[I've not read the article yet] No, they are not a foreign power.  Just foreign idiots who have no standing to be making any kinds of demands.  +1 on calling Immigration.

Then I take it you're unaware of the Mexican government's official efforts to encourage its citizens to illegally enter the USA, going so far as to print up and issue maps of the best routes?

[Hawkmoon]

Then I take it you're unaware of the Mexican government's official efforts to encourage its citizens to illegally enter the USA, going so far as to print up and issue maps of the best routes?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/06/world/americas/a-mexican-manual-for-illegal-migrants-upsets-some-in-us.html

http://www.foxnews.com/story/2005/01/05/mexico-provides-guide-to-illegal-immigration.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4645782.stm

However, by comparison:

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/229641/how-mexico-treats-illegal-aliens-michelle-malkin

• The Mexican government will bar foreigners if they upset “the equilibrium of the national demographics.” How’s that for racial and ethnic profiling?
• If outsiders do not enhance the country’s “economic or national interests” or are “not found to be physically or mentally healthy,” they are not welcome. Neither are those who show “contempt against national sovereignty or security.” They must not be economic burdens on society and must have clean criminal histories.
• Illegal entry into the country is equivalent to a felony punishable by two years’ imprisonment. Document fraud is subject to fine and imprisonment; so is alien marriage fraud. Evading deportation is a serious crime; illegal re-entry after deportation is punishable by ten years’ imprisonment.

Consider: Open-borders protesters marched freely at the Capitol building in Arizona, comparing Republican governor Jan Brewer to Hitler, waving Mexican flags, advocating that demonstrators “smash the state,” and holding signs that proclaimed “No human is illegal” and “We have rights.”

But under the Mexican constitution, such political speech by foreigners is banned. Noncitizens cannot “in any way participate in the political affairs of the country.” In fact, a plethora of Mexican statutes enacted by its congress limit the participation of foreign nationals and companies in everything from investment, education, mining, and civil aviation to electric energy and firearms. Foreigners have severely limited (if any) private-property and employment rights.

[Scout26]

Unlike the Gianforte incidident, there is video of this one and you can definitely see some shoving. I probably wouldn't call the police claiming assault over anything that I saw in the video but it might fall within the legal definition and regardless it's completely unacceptable behavior for an elected official. The threats should be pretty easy to arrest/charge for though, I would expect there to be plenty of witnesses and there's absolutely no reason to let that slide.

From http://www.attorneys.com/criminal-defense/texas/assault-defenses

Under Texas assault law, there are three ways you can be charged with assault. They are:

    Threatening someone with imminent bodily injury
    Intentionally causing bodily injury
    Intentionally causing physical contact when the person knows such contact will be considered offensive

However, upon further reading:

Penalties for Assault in Texas

Simple assault, which Texas assault law defines as assault that causes minor injury, is a Class A misdemeanor in Texas. A misdemeanor is considered to be a minor crime. In Texas, simple assault is punishable by up to a year in a county jail and a fine of up to $4,000.

If the assault is only a threat and there is no physical injury, it is a Class C misdemeanor in Texas, which is punishable by a fine of up to $500.

In some cases, prosecutors may try to bump a simple assault charge up to a third-degree felony. A felony in Texas, and in general, is a more serious violation. A third-degree felony Texas assault charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.

You may be charged with a third-degree felony if:
You have a previous domestic violence conviction and you commit assault against a family member or someone you are romantically involved with
You assault someone you know is a public servant or government contractor
You assault an emergency worker or security guard while they are doing their job

If a weapon is used during the course of the assault or if serious injury occurs, then you may be charged with aggravated assault, which is a second-degree felony in Texas. A second-degree felony is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Bolding Mine

Now, that's just for the D's shoving and going hands on Rep. Rinaldi  For the counter claim that Rep. Rinaldi threatened to "put a bullet in you." 

There is this:

One type of actionable defense used in assault cases is self-defense. Self-defense is the act of using force or threatening force to defend oneself or another person who is in danger of being imminently harmed by someone else.

If I recall the two D's threaten to "get him" after the session was over.  That's misdemeanor assault.  (See first quote above), then putting their hands on him is felony assault  (Second quote above)  So he has an affirmative defense on his statement.

If any of our legal beagles wish to weigh in, I'd love to hear their opinions.