Posted on 05/28/2007 6:37:02 PM PDT by zendari
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. congressman chased and caught a man who picked the lawmaker's pocket on Thursday night in Washington's tony Georgetown neighborhood, a local television station reported.
Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (news, bio, voting record), a New Jersey Republican, was walking in the area when a group of young men came up behind him. Frelinghuysen felt someone grab at his wallet and when he turned, the would-be robber took off, WRC TV report.
Frelinghuysen, 61, gave chase and caught the suspect a short distance away. Two passing police officers saw the chase and arrested the 18-year-old suspect, the report said.
Frelinghuysen, a seven-term congressman, was not immediately reachable for comment.
Asked about the incident, a police spokesman confirmed that "something like that occurred tonight in Georgetown."
"I can't identify the surviving victim of any crime," he said. "But, I understand the victim has been calling the news media and telling them his story."
If only Congress was as diligent with our money.
For a moment, I thought this was another Duncan Hunter story ;-)
“The country’s rising for Clay and Frelinghuysen!” — political slogan from 1844
I would have been nice if he could have carried a gun.
Hey Congress, that's how we feel all the time.
Good for him for chasing the perp down, though.
Would have been, yeah.
Congressmen are priviledged from arrest too, so no downside.
People in NJ will not like hearing about this liberal Republican congressman acting in an illiberal way. He may be punished. In NJ politics “no good deed goes unpunished.”
“A 61 year old chasing down an 18 year old? Must be in good shape.”
Did the money come fron his freezer??
what a rare breed! endangered species like that shouldn't take chances with the criminal element. :)
>>A 61 year old chasing down an 18 year old? Must be in good shape.<<
Judging by the obesity rates of our kids these days, maybe not.
Sounds like the congressman may have committed a hate crime. Isn’t self defense illegal in DC?
These politicians pick our pockets every day.
My thoughts exactly. Maybe the thug couldn’t keep his pants up.
>>>People in NJ will not like hearing about this liberal Republican congressman acting in an illiberal way. He may be punished. In NJ politics “no good deed goes unpunished.”<<<
Perhaps true, but his family has been in politics forever. And I do mean forever. One Frelinghuysen signed the Declaration of Independence. A very long dynasty for them.
A taxpayer stealing from a politician? That’s a switch!
I like your sentiment, but in all fairness, I seriously doubt any of those punks were taxpayers.
LOL!
THAT’S where I’d read that name before; turns out Rodney is Theodore’s great-great-great-nephew.
He didn't sign the Constitution either.
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