Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig facing threatening, violent messages after attack in elevator

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Angie Craig's campaign disclosed Friday that the Democrat has been the focus of violent profanity-filled messages after she was attacked in an elevator in her D.C. apartment building earlier this month.

In a news release that included audio of several voice mails her congressional office has received, Craig's campaign called out U.S. House Republicans' campaign arm and coverage from Fox News.

"The messages and threats received by Rep. Craig's office following the NRCC [National Republican Congressional Committee] hit job and Fox News' false and inflammatory coverage of her assault represent the worst of our society," Craig's spokeswoman Laura Cottrell said in the release. "We are sharing these difficult messages to help everyone understand the impact of this careless rhetoric and what happens after these reckless political attacks. It's dangerous. It's gutter politics at its worst."

Craig, a Democrat representing Minnesota's major swing congressional district, won a third term last November after an expensive and highly competitive race.

Policing and public safety remain major concerns across the country. In recent years Republicans have tried to associate Craig and other Democrats facing tough re-election races with the "defund the police" slogan. Craig however is a vocal opponent of the movement and in her last re-election race was endorsed by the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association.

Earlier this week, the NRCC falsely portrayed Craig's stance and linked to a Fox News story headlined "Democratic lawmaker with ties to 'defund the police' movement calls for crackdown on crime following assault."

Chris Gustafson, a spokesman for the NRCC, said in an emailed statement on Friday responding to Craig's campaign that "no one condones violence against elected officials," before pointing to a former Craig staffer who had tweeted support for the defund the police movement. The NRCC then associated Craig's voting record with Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar.

Fox News would not comment when contacted Friday.

Both Craig and law enforcement have described in detail the Democrat's assault in D.C. on Feb. 9 while in an elevator in her apartment building. A court filing from U.S. Capitol Police said her alleged assailant wouldn't let her leave an elevator, punched her and grabbed her before Craig threw hot coffee at the man and was able to escape.

Craig's chief of staff said the day of the attack that there was no evidence it was politically motivated. Prosecutors have charged Kendrid Khalil Hamlin, who has a long criminal history in the D.C. area, with assault over the attack. A recent court filing from the federal public defenders' office in the case said that "the parties have begun discussing the possibility of a resolution of this case."

Craig's campaign released audio of several clips on Friday that it said were received by her office after the Fox News coverage and the NRCC's comment. In one message, the caller mentioned watching coverage of Craig's attack on the Fox News program "The Five." The caller went on to say Craig should be violently sexually assaulted.

Another voice mail mentioned the Fox News article that the NRCC linked to. One of the expletive-filled messages said Craig deserved to be attacked and should be attacked again. Others said they were glad she was attacked, and one said police shouldn't help her.

"The threats are being reported to U.S. Capitol Police," the release from Craig's campaign said.