In an interview with Blaze Media co-founder Glenn Beck, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli documented the details that led to the arrest of a union leader at an ICE protest just as rioting broke out in Los Angeles on Friday.
Supporters of SEIU leader David Huerta have accused federal law enforcement officials of targeting him for arrest out of political motivation. His union called for his release and said that he was injured during the incident as well.
‘I don’t care who he is. He’s not going anywhere. He’ll get court on Monday.’
Essayli provided details of the incident to Glenn Beck that contradicted that accusation.
“I have been following SEIU for quite some time, and they are maybe not the head of the snake, but they’re near. They might be some of the teeth in the head of the snake. And I haven’t followed SEIU California for quite some time. And David Huerta, what can you tell me about him, and exactly what happened that got him arrested?” asked Beck.
Essayl said he didn’t want to jeopardize the investigation but offered the state’s version of what happened with Huerta.
‘He stood in front of the driveway to block the agents from [executing a search warrant]. … That instigated a physical altercation between Mr. Huerta and the agents. … I don’t think anyone there knew who it was.’
“On Friday, our agents were executing that search warrant at that business. He stood in front of the driveway to block the agents from being able to go in and out of there and to get the van in there that was needed to transport the people who had been detained or arrested,” said Essayli.
“He would not move.”
“So the agents went to move him, and my understanding is that instigated a physical altercation between Mr. Huerta and the agents. They pushed him. I think he pushed back, and they ended up pepper-spraying him and arresting him,” Essayli continued.
But contrary to the accusations that the agents targeted Huerta, Essayli said they didn’t know who he was at the time.
“I’ll be honest with you; I had no idea who he was. I don’t think anyone there knew who it was. The agents didn’t know. It was a couple of hours later [that] we had politicians [who] started calling our special agents’ offices. They called my offices. Some tried to call me to say, ‘He’s a big deal. You don’t know who you arrested,’ and basically insinuating that we need to let him out,” Essayli continued.
“I said, ‘I don’t care who he is. He’s not going anywhere. He’ll get court on Monday,”’ he added.
A statement from the SEIU claimed that Huerta had only been documenting the actions of federal agents.
“We are proud of President Huerta’s righteous participation as a community observer, in keeping with his long history of advocating for immigrant workers and with the highest values of our movement: standing up to injustice, regardless of personal risk or the power of those perpetrating it,” said SEIU executive director Tia Orr.
“We call for an end to the cruel, destructive, and indiscriminate ICE raids that are tearing apart our communities, disrupting our economy, and hurting all working people,” she added.
Huerta was charged with one felony count of conspiracy to impede an officer and released on a $50,000 bond.
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The post US Attorney Essayli obliterates liberal narrative of union leader’s arrest at ICE riot in interview with Glenn Beck appeared first on TheBlaze.
