A New York man pardoned by President Donald Trump for his crimes during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol was arrested over the weekend and accused of threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Christopher Moynihan, 34, had said on Friday that “in a few days, he would kill Congressman Jeffries in New York City for ‘the future,’” according to court records. He was charged with one felony count of making a terroristic threat.
Moynihan was a part of a group of insurrectionists who were caught on video rifling through senators’ desks, with him saying, “There’s got to be something we can use against these fucking scumbags.” He was then photographed alongside “QAnon Shaman” Jacob Chansley while standing on the Senate dais.
He was sentenced to 21 months in prison in 2022, but only served a year before being released pending appeal after the Supreme Court heard a challenge arguing against the obstruction charge used against Jan. 6 rioters.
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An anonymous source told the FBI they suspected Moynihan of recent drug abuse and an “increase” in “homicidal ideations,” according to New York State Police. His arrest was first reported by CBS News’ Scott MacFarlane.
Prosecutors said they are in possession of a text message exchange from Friday in which Moynihan said, “Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live” and “even if I am hated he must be eliminated.”
Asked on Tuesday whether Trump made a mistake with Moynihan’s pardon, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he hasn’t been briefed on the case.
“I don’t know any of the details of this at all. I don’t know who is alleged to be involved in this,” Johnson told reporters. “I will say that anybody, anybody that threatens political violence against elected officials or anyone else should have the full weight and measure of the Department of Justice on their head. … We are intellectually consistent about that, obviously.”
“I will tell you this, the violence on the left is far more prevalent than the violence on the right. The rhetoric that you saw on display on Saturday plays into this,” Johnon continued, referring to the weekend’s “No Kings” protest.
In a statement on Tuesday, Jeffries pointed out that Moynihan is one of several pardoned insurrectionists who have since been charged with additional crimes.
“Unfortunately, our brave men and women in law enforcement are being forced to spend their time keeping our communities safe from these violent individuals who should never have been pardoned,” Jeffries said.
Moynihan is the first Jan. 6 defendant to be accused of explicitly targeting a member of Congress since being pardoned. Others have been arrested on burglary, possession of child pornography and weapons charges.
Most notably, military veteran Edward Kelley, who was one of the first to enter the Capitol on Jan. 6, was sentenced to life in prison in July for attempting to carry out an assassination plot against law enforcement officials who investigated him over his role in the riot.
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