A Republican congresswoman accused of throwing a tarantula at her housemate claims she was simply reenacting a scene from Home Alone.
Marisa Simonetti, a Republican candidate for the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners in Edina, Minnesota, is facing charges of assault after she allegedly threw a live insect at her roommate to get the woman to move out.
But the 30-year-old insisted there was an ‘element of humour’ in the move as she called herself a ‘silly goose’.
Simonetti, who was charged last year with credit card fraud against her ex-lover, was arrested Friday and charged with fifth-degree assault after allegedly throwing a tarantula at 30-year-old attorney Jackie Vasquez.
The politician claimed Vasquez was “squatting” the property, but the victim insists she paid $1,500 through AirBnb to stay there.
Marisa Simonetti, 30, a Republican candidate for the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners in Edina, Minnesota, faces an assault charge after she allegedly threw a live tarantula at her roommate in an attempt to get the woman to move out
Simonetti was arrested Friday and charged with fifth-degree assault after allegedly throwing the tarantula at her roommate Jackie Vasquez, also 30, who lived downstairs.
Shocking video footage captures the moment Simonetti panics as he turns on Christian music, screams and bangs on pots and pans, before sending the spider flying down the stairs.
Simonetti claimed she had no choice because she accused Vasquez of squatting.
In an interview with KMSP-TV, She referenced the humor in the film “Home Alone,” in which a tarantula is placed on a criminal’s face, and added that she’s just a “dumb goose.”
“I mean, there’s a humorous element to that movie, and what was I supposed to do at the end?” Simonetti said KMSP. “And at the end of the day, ‘unhinged’ got her out of the house.”
Vasquez confirmed she left the property this weekend.
“What she did is deeply disturbing and deeply saddening. It looked like something straight out of a scary movie,” she said.
Simonetti was released without bail on Monday but was ordered to have no further contact with Vasquez, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
In a video she made of herself after her arrest, she said that there are always “two sides to a story” and that she will soon tell her side.
Simonetti said Vasquez had been renting a room from her on Airbnb since early June, which Vasquez confirmed. However, reports indicate that Simonetti does not own the home and that Airbnb rentals are not allowed in the city KARE-TV.
The incident on Friday reportedly began after Vasquez repeatedly complained about a spider infestation in the home.
But the two women had a history of fighting, including accusations from Simonetti that Vasquez once closed a door on her arm, the outlet said.
“Fifth-degree assault only leaves a person in fear of bodily harm,” she told KARE.
‘I never hit anyone. I never touched anyone. And the reason I was kept longer is because she was in my house. So it possibly had to be considered a domestic product.”
According to attorney Vasquez, the incident looked like something straight out of a horror movie.
Siminetti referenced the humor in the film “Home Alone,” in which a tarantula is placed on a criminal’s face, and said she’s just a “silly goose.”
Last year Simonetti was accused from making transactions using her ex-lover’s financial cards and accounts, totaling $75,000 and $8,876.
The charges were eventually dropped after the victim refused to cooperate with prosecutors.
The aspiring lawmaker’s campaign page describes her as the only conservative candidate in the race who hopes to rebuild safety through family values.
To highlight her campaign message and gain support, Simonetti once posted a video to
But despite employing classic GOP election strategies, she has already lost the May 14 midterm election for the vacant District 6 seat on the county board to State Rep. Heather Edelson.
She campaigned to become one of seven commissioners on the Hennepin County Board, who must approve budgets for both the county attorney and sheriff’s offices.
Despite the loss, Simonetti has previously indicated that she will run against Edelson again in the upcoming November election.