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A man pardoned by President Donald Trump for rioting at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was arrested Sunday for allegedly threatening to kill one of the top Democrats in Congress.
New York State Police announced the arrest of Christopher Moynihan on Sunday with the help of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Moynihan had been serving a 21-month prison sentence when he and 1,500 other rioters were pardoned by Trump in January.
On Tuesday, CBS News reported Moynihan had sent a text message about killing House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
“Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live,” Moynihan allegedly wrote, according to court documents obtained by CBS News. “Even if I am hated, he must be eliminated, I will kill him for the future.”
Jeffries said he was grateful to police for making the arrest.
“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,” Jeffries said Tuesday. “Since the blanket pardon that occurred earlier this year, many of the criminals released have committed additional crimes throughout the country.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters Tuesday morning he hadn’t heard of the case.
“Terrible. First I’ve heard of that,” Johnson said. “I don’t know anything about it, but anybody who threatens to kill any political official, we denounce it absolutely, they ought to have justice fall upon their head.”
Asked if it was a mistake for Trump to pardon the Jan. 6 rioters, Johnson pivoted, saying it’s not Republicans who support political violence.
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“I will tell you this: Violence on the left is far more prevalent than the violence on the right. Don’t make me go through the list,” Johnson said. “This is the left in almost every case that is advancing this, and not the right. So let’s not make it a partisan issue.”
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
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