Rep. Mikie Sherrill is offering her support to fellow Rep. LaMonica McIver after clinching the Democratic nomination in this year’s New Jersey gubernatorial race.
McIver was charged in a three-count federal indictment and is accused of impeding and interfering with officers. Prosecutors say this happened during a congressional oversight visit to the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark.
McIver denies any wrongdoing and calls the charges baseless.
"Every Member has a constitutional right to conduct oversight. That means the right to inspect a federal facility on behalf of their constituents,” Sherrill wrote in a statement. “I will continue to stand with Rep. McIver because this sham prosecution is an attempt to intimidate Congress and stop us from holding [President Donald] Trump accountable."
McIver says she will plead not guilty to the charges.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka – who ran against Sherrill in the Democratic primary – was arrested for trespassing at Delaney Hall while attending the event with McIver. Charges against Baraka were dropped.