A Dutchess County man who was pardoned by President Donald Trump for his actions at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was arrested Saturday and charged with making a terroristic threat against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, New York State Police said.
Moynihan allegedly planned to target House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries during a speech to the Economic Club of New York, according to court filings obtained by Black Westchester. In the criminal complaint, investigators quoted text messages allegedly sent from Christopher Moynihan, 34, of Clinton, NY, on October 17th to an unidentified recipient.
“Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live,” the texts read, according to the charging complaint filed in New York state court. “Even if I am hated he must be eliminated. … I will kill him for the future.”
On Tuesday, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries released the following statement:
“I am grateful to state and federal law enforcement for their swift and decisive action to apprehend a dangerous individual who made a credible death threat against me with every intention to carry it out.
The person arrested, along with thousands of violent felons who stormed the US Capitol during the January 6th attack, was pardoned by Donald Trump on the President’s very first day in office. Since the blanket pardon that occurred earlier this year, many of the criminals released have committed additional crimes throughout the country. 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.
It is the honor of my life to serve in Congress during these challenging times. Threats of violence will not stop us from showing up, standing up and speaking up for the American people.”
In a press conference, Congressman Jeffries said, “When it comes to these extremists out there, you better watch how you talk when you talk about me.” He also says, “I think the reckless and irresponsible pardons of hundreds of violent felons on January 6th has consequences…There are consequences to that, beyond me…there are consequences to irresponsible actions and not a single House Republican has walked away from them.”
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday denounced the alleged death threat against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.);
“I don’t know any of the details of this at all. I don’t know who’s been alleged to have been involved in this,” Johnson told reporters in the Capitol. “I will say that anybody — anybody — who threatens political violence against elected officials or anyone else should have the full weight and measure of the Department of Justice on their head.
“I trust that that will happen — I hope it will,” he added. “We are intellectually consistent about that, obviously.”
Moynihan was sentenced to 21 months in prison in 2023 for breaching the Capitol on 6 January 2021 as part of the mob seeking to stop Congress from certifying that Joe Biden had won the 2020 election and to keep Trump in power.
Moynihan was arrested Saturday and charged with making a terroristic threat, a felony, and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday. He is the first pardoned Capitol rioter to be arrested over alleged political violence.
