Full Breakdown
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna Accuses CODEPINK Co-Founder of Assault After Capitol Hill Hearing
6/6/2026, 6:56:29 AM
Alleged Assault Outside Capitol Hill Hearing
On Wednesday, June 3 2026, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) said a CODEPINK activist touched her arm as she left a House Western Hemisphere Subcommittee hearing. Luna described the contact as a “smack,” warned the activist to walk away, and announced she would file criminal charges.
Political Context and Prior Tensions
During the hearing, Luna questioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio about alleged foreign funding of CODEPINK, citing ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and to donor Neville Roy Singham. Rubio responded that “there is no doubt” that the CCP and other states fund left-wing causes in the United States. Earlier that day the House passed a war-powers resolution to wind down operations in Iran, a measure supported by CODEPINK and opposed by Luna and most House Republicans. CODEPINK’s recent Cuba trip—funded by the Cuban government and involving roughly 170 participants and $600,000 in aid—has become the subject of a Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) inquiry.
Principal Actors
- Rep. Anna Paulina Luna – Republican congresswoman from Florida.
- Medea Benjamin – Co-founder of CODEPINK, the women-led anti-war organization.
- CODEPINK – Grassroots group advocating against U.S. militarism.
- U.S. Capitol Police – Law-enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the Capitol complex.
- Secretary Marco Rubio – Provided context on foreign funding allegations.
Chronology of Events
- June 3, 2026 – Luna questions Rubio; hearing concludes.
- Immediately after – Benjamin follows Luna, brushes Luna’s arm while speaking.
- Later that day – Luna posts on X that she was “smacked” and will file charges; she submits a statement to Capitol Police.
- June 4, 2026 – CODEPINK releases video showing a light brush; issues a statement denying any hit.
- June 4-5, 2026 – Media outlets publish the exchange; Capitol Police decline to comment on investigations.
Relevant Figures
- Cuba trip – ? 170 participants; ? $600,000 in aid (OFAC-related).
- Funding claims – Luna alleged $1.3 million from Singham to CODEPINK and $270 million to various nonprofits since 2017.
Statements from Involved Parties
- Luna – Asserted that the activist “crossed a personal boundary,” warned the activist to leave, and said she would pursue criminal charges. She emphasized that physical contact is unacceptable regardless of political disagreement.
- CODEPINK – Stated that “nobody hit her,” described the contact as a brush, and accused Luna of lying and being “AIPAC-funded.” The organization posted the video to support its account.
- Capitol Police – Issued a brief statement that they cannot discuss any potential investigations.
Opposing Views
El Salvadorian Ambassador Milena Mayorga called violence “unacceptable and cowardly,” asserting that “violence has no place in a democracy.” Critics of Luna’s claim described the allegation as “exaggerated” and noted the video shows only a light touch.
Video Evidence
CODEPINK and TMZ released footage showing Benjamin walking behind Luna, briefly touching Luna’s jacket sleeve while asking, “When was the last time you were in Cuba?” The clip does not show a forceful strike.
Discrepancies
Luna characterizes the incident as a “smack” and a criminal assault; the video depicts a light brush. No charges have been filed, and Capitol Police have offered no confirmation of an investigation.
Direct Quotes
- “Wait, you just touched me.” — Anna Paulina Luna, X post
- “Nobody hit her.” — CODEPINK, X post
- “Violence has no place in a democracy.” — Milena Mayorga, Ambassador of El Salvador
- “Funny how @RepLuna called the police to arrest me (they didn’t once they saw the video) because she said I touched her arm.” — Medea Benjamin, X post
- “I have asked the Speaker to ban Code Pink. I was just physically hit by their head organizer. It is time Speaker Johnson ban them.” — Anna Paulina Luna, X post
Future Developments
Luna has indicated she will pursue criminal charges and has urged Speaker Mike Johnson to consider banning CODEPINK from Capitol premises. The OFAC inquiry into CODEPINK’s Cuba activities continues, and the Capitol Police investigation remains pending.
