Pardoned January 6 rioter accused of making threat
Reuters
WASHINGTON - A January 6 [2021] rioter pardoned by President Donald Trump has been charged with threatening to kill House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, according to a court document.
.....
Christopher Moynihan, 34, sent threatening text messages about an appearance Jeffries was scheduled to make in New York city, according to felony complaint field in state court in Clinton, New York. The recipient of the texts was not identified.
..... "Hakeem Jeffries makes a speech in a few days in NYC I cannot allow this terrorist to live, ... even if I am hated he must be eliminated, ... I will kill him for the future," the text messages red, according to the complaint, dated October 18. [2025]
..... The message were sent on October 17, [2025] it said.
..... "These text messages placed the recipient in reasonable fear of the imminent murder and assassination of Hakeem Jeffries by the defendant," the complaint said.
..... In February 2023, Moynihan was sentenced to 21 months in prison on charges including obstruction of an official proceeding, a felony. he was among nearly 1,590 people charged in the storming of the U.S. Capitol January 6, 2021, by supporters of Trump to prevent the certification of Democrat Joe Biden;s 2020 presidential election victory.
..... Trump pardoned nearly everyone criminally charged with participating in the January 6 [2021] attract on his first day back in office in a show of solidarity with supporters who backed his false claim of victory in that vote.
..... Jeffries thanked law enforcement for their work and said many of those pardoned by Trump in January [2025] have commuted crimes across 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," he said in a statement.
..... House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, denounced the suspect.
..... "Anybody who threats to kill any political official we denounce it absolutely. We ought to have justice fall upon their head,: Johnson said at the Capitol.
..... At least 10 other January 6 [2021] rioters have been rearrested, charged or sentenced for other crimes, according to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.