Man Pardoned by Trump Faces New Charges for Threatening Lawmaker
A man from New York, who received a pardon from President Donald Trump related to the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, has been arrested once again. This time, he faces serious charges for allegedly threatening to kill a prominent House Democrat.
Christopher Moynihan, a 34-year-old from Clinton, New York, was taken into custody on Sunday for making terroristic threats against New York House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. According to reports, he apparently sent a message stating that “we can’t let this terrorist live” while mentioning a speech Jeffries was set to give in New York City. He allegedly added, “Even if he hates me, he must be removed. I will kill him for the sake of my future.” This information came to light after the FBI alerted state police about the threat.
Moynihan had previously participated in the Capitol riot, during which he managed to breach police lines to protest the certification of Joe Biden’s election. Before Trump issued pardons to around 1,500 individuals involved in the events of that day, Moynihan faced a sentence of 21 months in prison in 2023.
Details about Moynihan’s legal representation are unclear, and the New York State Police have not provided additional information regarding the case. Moynihan’s arrest occurred approximately one year and seven months after he was released from federal custody. Court documents reveal that he wandered around the Capitol after others breached security, rummaging through senators’ notes and expressing his intention to use what he found against them.
The White House has not commented on this development.
Reactions to the government’s handling of January 6-related prosecutions have been mixed. Many conservatives believe that the Biden administration’s approach has been overly harsh, arguing that most of the protesters were nonviolent. In June 2024, the Supreme Court supported some of these defendants, suggesting that the Justice Department had misapplied the definition of obstruction of an official proceeding.
Interestingly, a report released by the FBI under the Trump administration indicated that some federal agents suspected political motivations behind the Capitol riot investigation, as more than 270 agents were dispatched to the scene that day without clear directions.
“What they did to these people is outrageous,” Trump remarked as he announced the pardons on January 6. He expressed hope that those awaiting pardons would be released soon.
Moynihan’s recent charges reflect a troubling trend of political violence and threats against public figures, especially following notable incidents like the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk in Utah. Additionally, federal prosecutors recently charged a man for allegedly sending death threats to conservative influencer Benny Johnson.
