Erie County District Attorney John Flynn was appointed the special prosecutor to oversee the case against the 43-year-old Fairport man accused of attempting to assault Republican gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin during a rally last month. 

David Jakubonis faces second-degree attempted assault, a felony. 

Flynn's office was handed the case by Acting state Supreme Court Justice Richard Healy after questions arose over Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley's support for Zeldin. 

Doorley, who had initially charged Jakubonis, had been appointed to a ceremonial position in the Zeldin campaign, but later stepped down from the role prior to the incident in July. Doorley's office has said she and Zeldin are friends and she would remove herself from overseeing the case. 

Zeldin's campaign has pointed to the incident initially as evidence of growing public safety concerns in the state. But in the days after, Zeldin said the incident also highlighted the need for veterans like Jakubonis to be able to access services for people who are struggling. 

If convicted, Jakubonis faces a maxmium four-year prison sentence, Flynn's office said.