LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire – A Democratic Congressman is facing assault and battery charges after an altercation Sunday at Dulles International Airport, outside Washington.
Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) allegedly tried to enter a restricted area at the airport baggage claim and pushed aside an airport employee who tried to stop him, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Several witnesses told local Washington affiliate ABC 7 news they saw Filner push the employee and refused to leave the restricted office.
Filner refused to leave the restricted area until just before officers with the Airports Authority Police arrived around 6 p.m. Sunday, the airport authority said.
Officers interviewed and released Filner and other witnesses Sunday evening, but they warned the seven-term congressman that an airport employee would be pressing charges. Filner is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 2 in Loudon County, Va., to face the misdemeanor assault and battery charge.
Filner’s office did not immediately respond to RAW STORY’s request for comment. A copy of the release from the MWAA is reprinted below:
“Around 6 PM on Sunday, Aug. 19, Airports Authority Police were called to the United Airlines bag claim office at Dulles for a report of an incident with a passenger regarding his baggage. The individual allegedly attempted to enter an area authorized for airline employees only, pushed aside the employee’s outstretched arm and refused to leave the area when asked by an airline employee.
When MWAA officers arrived a few minutes later, the man had left the office and was waiting in the area of a bag carousel. Officers interviewed him and witnesses and released him. Before the individual left the airport, officers advised him that the airline employee would be pursuing charges.
The airline employee appeared before a Loudoun County Magistrate later that evening and a summons was obtained charging Robert Filner (DOB 09/04/1942) with assault and battery, a class 1 misdemeanor. Mr. Filner is scheduled to appear in Loudoun County General District Court on October 2.”
