(NewsNation) — Charges have been dropped against the Gold Star father of a U.S. Marine killed in Afghanistan who interrupted President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address earlier this month.
Rep. Darrell Issa. R-Calif., confirmed the details to NewsNation.
Steve Nikoui, 51, father of Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, was arrested after shouting “Abbey Gate!” and “Second Battalion, First Marines!” during Biden’s speech.
The phrases were references to the deadly bombing in which his son, 12 other American service members and 170 Afghan civilians were killed during the August 2021 military withdrawal from the country. A suicide bomber detonated a bomb outside gates of the crowded Kabul airport.
Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb’s office noted cases of past protesters not being prosecuted in defending the decision not to prosecute Nikoui, according to Fox News.
Nikoui, a guest of Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., was seated in the gallery when he shouted the remarks.
Nikoui was charged with a misdemeanor that would have carried a maximum fine of $500 and up to 90 days in prison, if convicted.
Issa had demanded the charges against Nikoui be dropped.
Two and a half years after the terrorist attack, Gold Star families say they are still waiting for answers and accountability from the Biden administration.
Gold Star families previously said the Biden administration hasn’t been transparent about the attack and accused U.S. officials of putting politics ahead of their children’s lives.
NewsNation’s Devan Markham contributed to this report.
