Joe Biden got more than he bargained for during his State of the Union address earlier when Steve Nikoui, a Gold Star father, heckled him from the audience. The rambunctious protester was arrested and escorted from the building for yelling out the names of recent murder high-profile murder victims (including his own son) as the President trumpeted a recent reduction in violent crime rates from their multi-decade high in 2021 this year, and was quickly charged with a misdemeanor for “crowding, obstructing” and otherwise inconveniencing others during a public protest. The crime is punishable by up to a $500 fine and a imprisonment of 90 days.
Unfortunately for the annoyed Chief Executive, the Washington D.C. Attorney General has made the decision not to prosecute Mr. Nikoui.
Nikoui is the father of Kareem Mikoui Second Battalion, one of thirteen Marines killed in the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, when a suicide bomber struck the Kabul airport. The attack also killed 170 civilians.
Following his arrest, Nikoui was interviewed by Morning Wire. During the interview he scoffed at the accusation that his conduct was disrespectful, especially when measured against the way that, in his view, Biden had dishonored Nikoui’s son by the way the administration handled the withdrawal: the withdrawal agreement specifed 2500 troops to manage the final stag of the withdrawal, but Biden only provided 136 to the operation.
On Monday, California Republican Congressman Darrell Issa had a letter delivered to the Capitol Police Chief, in which he advocated for Mr. Nikoui. Issa said Nikoui’s protest gave voice to the feelings of service members and their families.
The arrest of Mr. Nikoui provoked significant backlash, according to Fox News. While the Attorney General of Washington D.C.’s decision to drop charges followed the backlash, the D.C. Attorey General’s office claimed that it was a routine matter: in matters of public protest, charges are routinely dropped once they reach the Attorney General’s office.
