A Providence, Rhode Island police officer who’s running as a Republican for state senate, has been charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct after he violently attacked one of his Democratic opponents at a rally protesting the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a woman’s right to an abortion.
According to WPRI CBS-12 Providence, Jeann Lugo has been suspended by the police department pending an investigation. Jennifer Rourke, one of his Democratic opponents, claims Lugo violently attacked her during the protest. Video shot by a local blogger appears to show the moment Lugo took a swing at Rourke.
Lugo had been running to be Rhode Island’s lieutenant governor, but upon seeing he would lose badly, halted that campaign and decided to run for the state senate seat held by Democratic Senate Majority Leader Mike McCaffrey, whom Rourke is challenging in the primary.