Pardoned Jan. 6 rioter arrested over threat to kill Rep. Hakeem Jeffries

A 34-year-old man was arrested last week after allegedly sending threatening messages to Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York), the House Minority Leader. The man, Christopher Moynihan of Clinton, New York, is charged with the felony of making a terroristic threat, according to a statement by the New York State Police. Authorities were notified that Moynihan “had made threats to kill a member of Congress.” 

Jeffries confirmed that he was the subject of a “credible death threat” in a recent statement, saying the person “with every intention to carry it out” had targeted him. 

Moynihan was among the more than 1,000 individuals convicted for their roles in the January 6, 2021, attack on the United States Capitol who were later pardoned by former Donald Trump. 

Court documents show that after the tip from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about Moynihan’s statements — including “he would kill Congressman Jeffries in New York City for ‘the future’” — state police and a joint terrorism task force moved in. 

An extreme-risk protection order was filed by the state police to restrict Moynihan’s access to firearms and ammunition, on the basis that he was deemed likely to harm himself or others. 

At his prior trial in 2022, prosecutors showed evidence that Moynihan “was among rioters who broke through the security perimeter on the east side of the Capitol Building,” entered the Senate gallery and chamber, and at one point occupied the Senate dais. He was sentenced in February 2023 to 21 months in prison. 

In his statement, Jeffries criticized the pardons of hundreds of Jan. 6 offenders, saying those decisions have real consequences beyond the political sphere. He also emphasized that, despite the threat, he would not be intimidated and would continue to show up and speak out for the American people. 

This arrest marks one of the first high-profile instances of a pardoned Jan. 6 participant being charged with a violent threat against a member of Congress.

Source: The Washington Post