A man who was pardoned by former President Donald Trump following his involvement in the January 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol has been arrested for allegedly threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Christopher Moynihan, identified as a participant in the Capitol riot, faces charges stemming from text messages he sent to another individual, according to court documents. The messages reportedly stated that Moynihan intended to “eliminate” Jeffries, a top Democratic leader, during an event in New York City.
Prosecutors revealed that Moynihan wrote in one message: “Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live.” Another text allegedly included the statement: “Even if I am hated, he must be eliminated, I will kill him for the future.”
Moynihan was previously convicted of obstruction of an official proceeding related to his actions on January 6. In August 2022, he received a 21-month prison sentence, along with 36 months of supervised release and $2,000 in restitution. Court records detail that on the day of the Capitol breach, Moynihan entered the Senate Chamber, paged through documents, and made derogatory remarks about lawmakers. He was later escorted out by law enforcement.
The case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.