Thursday November 10, 2005
The FBI and Capitol Police are investigating the vicious attack of a top Senate staffer at her home last week
amid concerns that the assault might be related to her work on the Finance Committee.
Emilia DiSanto, chief investigator for committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), arrived at her suburban Virginia home after work Wednesday about 6:30 p.m.
As she was unloading belongings from her car, a 6-foot-1-inch white man dressed in black struck her repeatedly with an unidentified object believed to be a baseball bat.After she screamed to her family inside the house, the assailant fled.
DiSanto was transported to Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, where she was treated for significant upper-body injuries. Nine staples were needed to close her head wound.DiSanto, who declined to comment, has reported back to work.
The attack and the possibility that it was motivated by congressional business have made some people anxious on Capitol Hill.“This is of obvious concern to anyone working here,” a Senate staffer said.
“It’s very disconcerting when you worry about someone resorting to violence. This could be intimidation, and you wonder whether it’s safe to do your job.”The attack on DiSanto came two days before a bomb threat caused alarm at an Iowa veterans home where Grassley was scheduled to appear.<snip>
No evidence has surfaced that definitively points to DiSanto’s work on the Finance Committee as the trigger for the attack, but sources say there are a number of clues that suggest it could be.
The assailant was trying to hide his identity, wearing a hood and black gloves. He also did not make any demands before attacking the 49-year-old staffer. A working assumption among investigators is that he was waiting for her to arrive home.<snip>
Grassley is known for his aggressive oversight of the public and private sector. Over the past year, he has scrutinized healthcare fraud, organ-donation procedures used by hospitals, drug-safety matters and
the use of nonprofit groups related to former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.<snip>
http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/110805/news1.html
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
