An aide to Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul is recovering after suffering an assault in Washington, D.C.
"This past weekend a member of my staff was brutally attacked in broad daylight in Washington, D.C.," Paul said in a statement. Paul said a suspect had been arrested, and asked for prayers for the aide to see a speedy and complete recovery.
The staffer was stabbed multiple times, and the injuries were life threatening, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
He declined to identify the aide, asking instead for privacy so "everyone can focus on healing and recovery."
The incident comes after Congress moved earlier this year to overturn a new criminal code — the product of a years-long review that involved various stakeholders in the criminal justice system — for the Washington, D.C., area. Republicans argued — and President Biden cited as a concern — that the new code could be perceived as too soft on crime at a time when rates of homicides and car thefts are rising in D.C., according to police data.
On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee will hold its first in a series of hearings on Washington, D.C., with a focus on crime, safety and city management. Witnesses at Wednesday's hearing include D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson as well as Charles Allen, another councilmember, and Greggory Pemberton, the chairman of the D.C. Police Union.
