Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) revealed in a statement that he was informed of a potential assassination plot targeting him just one day before the 2024 election.
According to Moskowitz, the Margate Police Department in his Congressional District alerted him about the threat, which involved the arrest of a man named John Lapinski.
The 41-year-old, who is a former felon, was apprehended near Moskowitz’s home on November 2, 2024. Authorities found Lapinski in possession of a rifle, a suppressor, body armour, and a manifesto containing antisemitic rhetoric. The manifesto reportedly listed Moskowitz’s name as the sole target.
Moskowitz did not disclose further details to avoid interfering with the ongoing investigation but confirmed that several agencies, including the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), were pursuing the case. The ATF is now leading the investigation. In his statement, Moskowitz expressed his shock at the news and condemned the plot as “outrageous.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) expressed his support for Moskowitz, tweeting, “Nobody should hurt Jared!” following the revelation of the potential threat.
In addition to addressing the security threat, Moskowitz took to social media to congratulate Susie Wiles on being selected as President-elect Donald Trump’s new chief of staff. “Congrats to @susie57! I worked with Susie in the DeSantis Administration. She is brilliant, tough, strategic. She will serve the country well,” Moskowitz tweeted.